Bleach: Strong Love (REDUX)
by AnimeFreak1123
Summary: The new and improved version of A Bleach Fanfic: Strong Love rewritten in a new way with edits here and there! Summary: Tsukiko Kishin is a noble and the third seat of squad six under the captain she has grown up with and fallen in love with, Byakuya Kuchiki. How will she cope with the stoic captain and other hurdles that are to come? Find out in this Byakuya X OC fanfic.
1. Captain's First Day

**Warning: I do not own Bleach, the world of Bleach, or any of the characters. I do, however, own Tsukiko Kishin and Kioku.**

**Also, a little note… Just letting you know once again that nothing is going to change significantly, just little things here and there. Also, for those of you who have read my Seasons of Bleach fanfic, Takeo and Tsuyayaka won't be in this redo unfortunately. It would be wrong to just stick them in. However, the two of them will have their own story of how they met. I hope you look forward to that, and may I present you with the new and improved version of Strong Love!**

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The Soul Society. A large accumulation of streets that make a large maze, where the inhabitants – the Soul Reapers – go about their duties cleansing the world of Hollows and sending lost souls to "paradise".

But enough about that. Our story starts with a certain forgetful third seat officer from Squad Six…

"Good morning, Tsukiko-san." A couple of female soul reapers greeted their superior while passing her in the hall.

"Good morning." The third seat officer greeted back with a smile.

"We've left some paperwork on your desk for you." one of them stated delightfully.

"But the Captain would like to see you in his office first." The other added.

"The…Captain?" their superior asked with surprise and curiosity.

"Did you forget, Tsukiko-san?" the subordinate closest to her asked. "Today is our new Captain's first day."

"Really?! I forgot!" Tsukiko shouted as she smacked her forehead and starting to run for the Captain's office, she continued, "See ya!"

Tsukiko Kishin is a noble-born and the third seated officer in Squad Six. She has lived for over two hundred years and her noble family has been acquainted with the Kuchiki clan for many years. However, her clan fell and she has been supporting herself and her grandfather by doing her duty as a soul reaper.

Tsukiko is about five feet and four inches tall and has long brown silver streaked hair that's tied up in a ponytail with a blue ribbon except for two silver strands wrapped in the same color ribbon. She also has teal colored eyes.

She wears the soul reaper's uniform – the shihakushô – but it is loosened halfway with a deep blue sleeveless shirt underneath. Instead of the white belt, she wears a white sash that is wound around the area between her waist and underneath her chest. Along with the other two additions, she wears deep blue fingerless gloves under the long sleeves of her shihakushô and two different earrings; her mother's – which is three small gold bars on a ring – and her father's – which is a simple dark blue ring.

Strapped to her side is her zanpaku-tô, Tsuyoi-ai, which has blue ribbon with bells on the ends tied to the hilt and the scabbard. These ribbons are connected to remind her that she can only use it in shikai while protecting her loved ones….

After turning the last corner Tsukiko came up to the Squad Six Captain's office. She then breathed in slowly – because she ran the all the way – and knocked on the door.

"Come in." stated a male's voice in monotone from within. Tsukiko obeyed and walked into the office, immediately bowing in respect to the new captain and apologizing.

"Please forgive me for arriving so late. I forgot that today is your first day Captain…" she stated before she rose from her bow.

After seeing his face, she was in utter shock. This young man sitting in front of her at the captain's desk was none other than her childhood friend and schoolmate.

"Byakuya-kun?!" Tsukiko asked, still in shock as she stood in front of the door. "Wha-?! How did you-?!"

"I am the Captain, and I will be addressed as such, Tsukiko-san." Byakuya stated in the same tone as before, staring straight at Tsukiko. "Therefore, I will be called Captain Kuchiki, and no other name, understood?"

"Yes, B – I mean…Captain Kuchiki." The third seated officer replied as she looked down, thinking of how much her friend has changed over the years.

Byakuya still had the long silky black hair he had kept in their days at Shinôreijutsuin – the Soul Reaper Academy – but it was done up with five kenseikan. There were three above the middle of his face and over to the left a little, leaving three strands of hair over his left eye. There were also two on the right side above his ear that were pulled back behind his head.

His stone grey eyes lost their playfulness and temper of the usual teenage youth and instead responsibility, arrogance, and loneliness were all Tsukiko could see in them now. Apart from that, he wore the usual shihakushô with the captain's haori that had the Japanese character for six on the back and the same silver-white windflower-silk gauze that his grandfather wore as the head of the Kuchiki clan. On his hands he wore pale ice blue tekkou.

"Since we have no vice-captain, I will move you up to that position." The captain stated with authority, bringing Tsuki back from her thoughts.

"Um…." Tsuki started to say but stopped herself and went silent.

"What is it?" her captain asked as he looked up from his paperwork.

"W-Well, let's just say that I don't think I'm fit for the position of vice-captain and…" Tsuki answered with difficulty as she blushed and looked down at the ground while fiddling with her fingers nervously. "Th-That I'm much more comfortable as the third seat of the company." She finished quickly and took a deep breath, thinking to herself, _'There, I said it.'_

For a while Byakuya was silent, and when Tsuki looked up for the captain's response, she found that his attention was back on his paperwork.

After a few moments he finally stated in the same tone as an order, "Very well. You will fill the position of vice-captain until we can find someone to take it. You are dismissed."

Tsuki then bowed with respect to the captain and left his office quickly.

As soon as she closed the door to the office, Tsuki took in a great sigh of relief as she leaned up against the wall next to the door.

'_Wow it was tense in there…'_ she thought to herself as she stood up and started walking towards her office. _'It was so awkward too, because the last time I saw Byakuya-kun was at Hisana-chan's funeral….I hope that over time that tenseness will pass between us….'_

She then approached the door to her office, went inside and spent the rest of the day running in and out for her duties to the Squad.

When Tsuki did come out of her office, she was ready to go home and it was way late at night. "Time to go home and get some rest…" she stated half to herself while stretching and turning to leave, but something caught her eye.

"Captain Kuchiki." Tsuki greeted after seeing him approach while reading a few reports.

He looked up and acknowledged her by greeting back, "Tsukiko-san."

He continued walking on by and Tsuki fell into pace beside him as she was going the same way to her room.

"Is it really too much trouble, calling me 'Tsuki' like you used to?" she asked, looking away from her captain sheepishly. Byakuya did not answer, so the two walked like that in silence for a few minutes until he finally spoke.

"Tsuki-san," he stated, which was a little better than 'Tsukiko-san', but could do without the honorifics. "How is your grandfather?"

"Grandpa is doing just fine. Though I miss when he used to get fired up over the smallest things, it made living in the mansion that much more exciting." Tsuki replied with a soft happiness, but then her expression became bittersweet as she continued. "Now grandpa is reminiscent. Whenever I visit him on off days, he keeps telling me that I look more and more like my mother. It saddens me to hear such talk…."

"Why is that?" Byakuya asked further, sounding indifferent, but nonetheless was interested.

"O-Oh….I never told you, did I? After all, we haven't spoken since…." Tsuki then stopped because she knew the subject of Hisana was a little delicate for them both. "My parents died the day after…sh-she passed on. I d-don't really like to talk about it…."

As she finished she hugged herself a little and looked away solemnly while Byakuya was still silent.

"My apologies for asking." He finally stated, causing Tsuki to jump with surprise. "Though you didn't have to answer the question, considering you don't like to talk about it."

"O-Oh. Quite true….." Tsuki agreed while blushing a rosy pink. "But I felt that I should tell you, seeing as we haven't seen each other since then…."

"Hmm," was all that Byakuya had to say in return.

"After all, that's what friends do, right?" she added with a small smile continuing to blush while he was still silent.

It continued to stay that way until the two came to an intersection in the pathways.

Seeing that Byakuya was headed down one way and she herself was going another, Tsuki stated with a bow, "Well, I guess this is goodnight, Captain."

"Goodnight, Tsuki-san." Her captain replied, not looking at her. "I will expect to see you in my office and on time tomorrow to take care of your duties as vice-captain and third seat."

"Yes, Captain." She agreed with another bow before retiring to the Squad Six barracks.

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**Hope you like the new version so far! Hey I've just thought of a great idea! If any of you have any questions about this fanfic, whether it's your first time or not, I'll answer them for you if you like! Of course, this will only be limited to August or the end of this fanfic, so put up your questions and I'll answer as many of them as I can!**

**If I do get a lot of questions though (I'll wait until the weekend) I'll post only two chapters each time so that I can answer as many questions as I can before the end. I look forward to them!**


	2. A New Lieutenant and Shocking Orders

In the years that followed, Byakuya and Tsuki became more acquainted as Captain and subordinate. And Although Tsuki often did her own thing at times and got on her captain's nerves a whole lot, the two of them had a relatively good relationship. Byakuya even told Tsuki that he had adopted Hisana's younger sister. Tsuki was elated and was eager to meet her late best friend's sister, but it was time to meet the new vice-captain appointed by Byakuya…

"When is he coming?" Tsuki asked impatiently, pacing back and forth in front of the Captain's desk, then glancing at the clock on the wall, she continued. "He's late."

"Please take a seat Tsuki-san. Your restlessness is bothersome." Byakuya ordered, not looking up from his usual massive amount of paperwork. "And if I remember correctly, you've been arriving late quite a few times this past year." – he then looked up – "Would you care to explain why?"

A light blush appeared on Tsuki's cheeks and she started to answer nervously, "Uh….Well I was…."

Just when she was about to come up with an excuse to leave, the new lieutenant walked into the office apologizing for his tardiness.

Tsuki turned to thank her savior and saw a man an inch or so taller than Byakuya with a strong build. He had bright red hair that was up in a spikey ponytail and brown-colored eyes. He wore the typical shihakushô with no additions except for a white headband that was tied on the left side over his forehead. Tsuki could also see some black-patterned tattoos, peeking out from under his headband as his eyebrows and another few on the sides of his neck.

"You must be Renji Abarai." Byakuya stated from his place at his desk, still doing paperwork.

"Yes, that would be me." The red haired man answered, even though Byakuya didn't ask a question.

Tsuki saw something in the man's eyes at that point, that he seemed to know Byakuya, but Tsuki did not know when they would have met. At the Shinôreijutsuin? The Captains did go visit the students sometimes….

"W –." Byakuya was about to say something but Tsuki interrupted. "Welcome to Squad Six!" she exclaimed, surprising the man named Renji.

"Tsuki-san, what have I told you about interrupting me?" the already annoyed captain asked while standing up.

"I wanted to say it this time because you would have made the welcome dull. I wanted our new vice-captain to feel at home here." She answered with a pout, noticing that Byakuya stood up only to glare down at her to show her who was boss.

Tsuki continued defiantly, "Is that really necessary Captain? Looking down on others like that. It's degrading and not very respectful to your subordinates."

For a few moments he stayed glaring at her until he closed his eyes, gave an annoyed sigh, and sat down at his desk again. "Very well." He said as he continued doing his paperwork. "But you will show Renji around instead."

"I usually get stuck with this job anyway." Tsuki replied, turning to leave the captain's office with Renji in tow.

Once the two were out in the hall and the door was closed, Tsuki took in a relieved sigh. "Unless you want to die, don't try that yourself." She said to the red haired vice-captain.

"Then how come you did it?" Renji asked as they started to walk down the hall. "That seems like suicide; talking back to a captain like that."

"I think it might be because Byakuya can tolerate me." She stated as a matter of factly. "We used to argue a lot when we were younger, but we were friends. Inseparable, but now he's changed." – she smiled with a laugh – "I don't know why I'm telling you this."

"You must be brave, then. To do that even though he's your captain." Renji stated with slight admiration.

"Why do you say that?" Tsuki asked curiously.

"No reason." He replied, even though she could see in his face that the man did have a reason. After a few more minutes of walking in the hall, the two approached the vice-captain's office.

"This room is yours to work in." Tsuki informed him as they walked in through the door. "My office is next door so if you need anything, just call me."

"Wait," Renji stated as he looked at her, confused. "I thought you were the vice-captain."

"Me? No. I was only filling the position of vice-captain until we found someone to take the position permanently." She stated in response. "I'm the third seat, Tsukiko Kishin, but you can just call me Tsuki."

"Your reishi," the newly appointed vice-captain mused aloud after he sensed her spiritual pressure. "It feels stronger than the reishi level of a third seat is supposed to have. Why are you only a third seat and not a vice-captain?"

"If I choose to become a vice-captain, then I might not be able to stay in this division to protect the person I hold dear." She answered with a small smile.

"And that person is…?" Renji asked further.

"Ah…that is…um…" Tsuki instantly went red in the cheeks as she replied. "That's a little personal."

"Ah…Sorry." The red head stated after he noticed Tsuki's reaction, scratching the back of his head.

"It's okay. I don't blame you. A lot of people have asked me that question…." Tsuki said, waving it off, then remembered what happened earlier in the captain's office. "Hey, do you know Captain Kuchiki from somewhere? The way you looked at him earlier…"

"Not really, but it's a long story." Renji replied with a look of sadness. Or was it guilt?

"I'll be happy to hear your story. We have nothing else to do yet, so why don't you tell me." Tsuki suggested with a warm smile.

So as they both sat down and did paperwork, he recalled how he and Rukia used to live together in the Rukongai and that they both went to the Shinôreijutsuin, and then concluded with how Byakuya had adopted Rukia into his family. Once he was done, Tsuki bombarded him with tons of questions about their lives in the Rukongai.

"Why do you want to know?" Renji asked her, a little overwhelmed.

"I've never been to the Rukongai before." Tsuki answered simply. "I was born a noble in the Seireitei….Though I don't think you can call a clan like the Kishins a noble clan anymore. We've nearly been thrown out into the streets." – she paused and thought to herself that this time wasn't the time to be talking about her personal life with a stranger, but she felt as if she could sympathize with Renji so she continued by asking – "Why haven't you apologized to Rukia in all this time? Surely all that has happened is in the past now."

"I've thought about it and…" Renji started to say but then hesitated to continue. Finally when he did continue, he looked annoyed. "I can't do it anyway because she was sent on a mission to the world of the living!"

Tsuki's eye's widened at this. She had never been to the world of the living. "Really?" she asked with wonder and interest. "I've always wondered what the world of the living is like! What is her mission there?"

"Just an area assignment." The red head replied with boredom, his chin leaning on the palm on his hand.

"That's cool. And she gets to see what the people are like over there…" Tsuki stated with awe as she did the same, but was looking on with wonder. "I'd love to go to the world of the living….And to meet Rukia." – she stopped for a moment to think of what Byakuya's adopted sister would look like and what she could be doing in the world of the living. – "Hey Renji, what does Rukia look like? Even better, draw a picture of her!"

Tsuki then fished out a blank piece of paper from a random stack and handed it to Renji. He just looked at it and said to her, "I'm not a really great artist…" Tsuki then took the paper back and told him to explain Rukia's features to her so she could try and figure out what Rukia looked like.

So a new friendship blossomed between vice-captain and third seated officer. And before Renji knew it, his first month in Squad Six had drawn to a close. Tsuki became more attached to him and started to call him by his first name whenever it was just the two of them. He didn't want to show it, but he had enjoyed her company too. For a time there was peace between the captain, vice-captain and third seated officer, but all that changed in the course of one day….

"Hey Renji, what are you doing?" Tsuki asked once she had come into the red head's office to drop off some paperwork she had finished, seeing him rush around the room to prepare for a trip of some sort.

"Oh, Tsuki-chan. Just leave those there and I'll take care of the rest later." Renji stated, not answering her question. So she asked again and he replied, "I'm going with the captain to the world of the living to retrieve Rukia."

"Why?" Tsuki asked further as Renji reached the threshold of his office to leave.

"I don't know but I'll let you know when we come back." The red head promised as he left to rendezvous with captain.

She sighed, looking out the window of the room, thinking of why Byakuya and Renji are going to go get Rukia. Suddenly she heard a rapping on the doorframe and jumped turning to whoever did it.

"Kioku!" Tsuki exclaimed as she pouted at the man in the doorway. "Don't scare me like that!"

"Sorry, but I thought you might be in here…." The male called Kioku replied with a heartwarming and apologetic smile.

Kioku Shimazaki is also of noble birth, but like the Kishins, his clan has fallen. His family still has quite a bit of money, which is why he is Tsuki's fiancé. He has light chestnut brown colored hair that is a little messy and long on the bangs and he also has peculiar colored eyes; the right eye is blue green colored and the left is a lovely shade of violet. He wears his shihakushô like all the other soul reapers and is an unseated officer in squad five. Kioku is very obedient to his superiors, but as of late he's been feeling suspicious of his Captain, Sosuke Aizen, and has started to keep a close eye on him. Other than that, Kioku is friendly and caring and will do anything to keep his family and his wife-to-be safe.

"So what are you doing here?" Tsuki stated with a tiny bit of sarcasm in her voice. "I thought you were spying on your captain."

"Oh, so I can't come see my fiancée when I want to?" Kioku remarked, playing along with her act, then returned to normal. "Where are Captain Kuchiki and Vice-Captain Abarai?"

He sat down as Tsuki answered him, saying they were out on a mission in the world of the living. "For what?" he asked further.

"Renji said they are being sent to go get Rukia-chan." Tsuki replied with confusion apparent on her face. "I don't know why yet, but he promised he'd let me know."

"Things are getting fishier and fishier…." Kioku wondered half to himself so Tsuki could hear too. "Captain Aizen has been leaving his quarters quite a few times lately. I keep meaning to follow him, but he seems to have his guard up high. Tonight I'm planning to track his reishi to finally find out where he's going."

There was silence between them for a few minutes until Tsuki said to Kioku with worry, "Somehow, I feel that what you're doing isn't safe. Please, don't follow him, Kioku."

He said nothing as he stood up and when he turned to Tsuki, he spoke, "If I don't do this I feel that the Soul Society, you, and my family might be in danger. I can't let that happen, so I'm going."

He then bent down and gave Tsuki a peck on the cheek and left with Tsuki saying, "Be careful."

Early the next morning, Tsuki woke with a start, finding herself at the desk she was working at just the night before. So she fell asleep…. She looked around in a daze, seeing her empty office and hearing not even a footstep in the hallway.

She stood up slowly and stretched, then left her office to see if anyone was at the station yet. The first place she went to was her captain's office. No one was there, but there was a lot of paperwork left on the desk for him to sort through and sign.

As she walked up to the desk, one paper in particular stood out. It was a letter giving orders to capture or kill Rukia Kuchiki. Tsuki couldn't believe her eyes as she read the orders over and over. She smiled to herself and tried to calm down as she thought to herself, 'This must be a prank of some kind. Someone's got to be pulling my chain….'

She looked around the captain's office, expecting someone to jump out and say, "I got you!", but no one did. She turned her gaze back to the letter and tears came up in her eyes as she stared at it a little longer.

"Why would they want this?" she asked herself in wonder, leaving the office to get some real rest in her quarters.

Later in the day Tsuki returned to the squad station to find that Renji wasn't there. "Captain Kuchiki, where is Vice Captain Abarai?" she asked as she walked into Byakuya's office, finding him at his desk going through the paperwork she saw there earlier in the day.

The letter was no longer there on the desk where she saw it earlier. It had probably been disposed of or put away in his desk.

Byakuya looked up from his work and answered, "He has the day off today, although he's currently visiting Rukia at her cell."

"You've got her locked up?!" she questioned further with surprise and curiosity, thinking of the orders that she had seen on the letter. "Why?"

"She has transferred her shinigami powers to a human while in the world of the living." He replied with an unchanging expression. "Now you don't have a day off, so I suggest you quit loitering in my office and get to work."

"Yes Captain Kuchiki." Tsuki responded downheartedly while she turned to leave the office.

Once she left and closed the door, putting her hand to her chin she thought about what was going on. _'I heard that giving your soul reaper powers to a human is a serious crime punishable by death….'_ She thought to herself. _'But only the Central Forty-Six can decide on that.'_ – she looked on with a worried expression on her face – _'Oh I hope they don't sentence her to death….'_ And so with worry and hope she walked on to her office to get to work.

The next day Byakuya called Renji and Tsuki into his office unexpectedly.

"What do you need us for Captain Kuchiki?" Tsuki asked curiously after the two had entered their captain's office.

"I want you to come with me, to Rukia's cell." The captain answered with no emotion while he stood up from his desk.

"Have they decided then?" Renji asked seriously, sweat visible on his brow. Tsuki bit her lip and looked away with worry once she heard the vice-captain's question.

"Yes." Byakuya replied, heading for the door and pausing before leaving. "Come with me." He then left through the door and the other two followed, Renji giving a comforting look to Tsuki before they did so.

The trip to the cells was pretty tense and quiet, save for the sounds of talking and work from within the barracks.

Finally they arrived at Rukia's cell and Tsuki got to have a good look at the girl who is Hisana's sister. Rukia was exactly as Renji described her; small in stature and petit, with short, black hair that bobbed and stuck out a bit at the ends. Her hair framed her face and there was also a strand that hung between her violet colored eyes. She was currently wearing a white robe and sat in the middle of the cell on a stool-like chair. She practically looked like Hisana herself, in a younger form. Tsuki was so amazed with how much she looked like her late best friend that she didn't hear what Byakuya had to say.

She looked over to Renji, who was holding onto one of the bars and looking at Byakuya with disbelief. "What did you say, Captain?" he asked with the same expression as Rukia looked on.

"Must I tell you again?" Byakuya replied in his monotone voice. "Rukia Kuchiki has been found of a capital offence." – he stepped forward to the cell's bars – "In twenty-five days, she will be taken to the Garden of Judgment to face your punishment. That is Central Forty-Six's final decision."

Tsuki gasped with horror once she had heard the words she feared and Renji face was beaded with sweat. Both had looks of shock on their faces while Rukia looked down with sadness.

"This is the last time I'll be speaking with you." He continued while he turned to leave, looking back. "The next time I'll see you will be at the gallows."

With that he passed Tsuki and headed out the door without another word. Tsuki watched as he passed with worry and turned to look at Rukia with the same look before following her captain obediently out the door.

"Surely you can't just let this go and have her die." Tsuki stated once she and her captain were out in the hallway.

He stopped and so did she, behind him. Byakuya turned his head sideways to give her a cold stare over his shoulder.

"This is none of your business, Tsuki-san." He said to her in response with a cold tone to accompany his glare. "Rukia has been sentenced to death and we must abide by the law."

"But what about your prom-." Tsuki started but her captain interrupted her.

"Not another word." Byakuya ordered icily, turning away from her to the front before starting to walk away. She stared on with sadness and slight fear towards her captain as he walked away.

But before he could take another step, a sly voice said aloud from behind Tsuki, "Aw, don't be so harsh to the girl. She's just concerned for her friend."

Both Tsuki and Byakuya looked back to see two other captains. One of them was tall and strong. He had spikey hair with bells at the end of each spike and eyes that seemed to rip you to pieces with one look. He wore his shihakushô open in the top and his haori was torn at the sleeves. He was leaning against the wall.

The other captain – the one who spoke – was thin and had silver colored hair with the bangs hanging over his closed eyes. He had a sly foxy grin from ear to ear. His haori was sharply cut at the shoulder. He was sitting on the railing.

"Captain Kenpachi Zaraki, Captain Gin Ichimaru." Tsuki said with slight surprise.

"You seem pretty calm, Captain Kuchiki." The grinning captain called Kenpachi said.

"Yeah, even though your sister is going to die." The other captain dubbed Gin added, grinning his usual sly grin. "You've set an example for the rest of us. The ideal shinigami!"

"Are you kidding?" Kenpachi said. "The only shinigami that fear death are you and the Captain of Squad Nine."

"What do you two want with me?" Byakuya finally asked from beside Tsuki.

"Well, we thought that the Captain of squad six would be sad about his sister's impending execution." The captain of squad three answered seriously, even though he was still grinning mischievously.

"This has nothing to do with you." The captain in question replied coldly.

"Why must you be sad?" Captain eleven asked. "The blood of a criminal only dishonors a distinguished family."

"Ah." Captain six stated. "Surprising how a commoner knows so much about the nobility."

"I'm very observant." Kenpachi replied with a smirk, which turned into an excited 'ready to kill' grin. "If you want, I could kill the criminal for you before the execution."

Tsuki flinched with fear at his statement and turned to Byakuya. "I'm not sure a person with your skills could get the job done." He said, glaring at the captain of squad eleven.

Suddenly the spiritual pressure in the area went up as the tension between the two captains rose. Tsuki wanted to do something, but was unsure whether she wanted to join the fight or not.

Finally Kenpachi asked with anger, "Do you want to test me?"

"Do you want to be tested?" Byakuya shot back as they glared at each other with the intent to kill. Just as Tsuki was about to say something to break the potential fight, Kenpachi disappeared.

She and Byakuya sighted his reishi on the roof nearby and saw that Gin had tied him up. While the captain of squad eleven jerked around in his binding, the other captain apologized and said goodbye, finally disappearing with the misbehaved Kenpachi.

For a while they stood there, until Byakuya said to her, "Do not speak of Rukia and her sentence again." And with that, he left Tsuki to think about what had happened.

Little did the Soul Society know that a certain human boy with orange spikey hair was preparing for his trip to save the soul reaper that changed his life…

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**Woah! Going back and seriously editing really opens your eyes! I can't believe I mixed up what Gin and Kenpachi were saying! Anyway, it's all fixed up now! **


	3. Arrival of the Ryoka

It was just another normal day in Soul Society….or not.

Tsuki was taking a break from doing paperwork when the alarm suddenly went off and an announcement was broadcasted throughout the Seireitei, _**"There is a distortion detected in western Rukongai. Alert divisions three through eight! I repeat…."**_

"What?!" Tsuki outbursted with surprise, standing up and going outside to investigate. Everyone was running about trying to get together. Tsuki looked through the crowds and found who she was looking for then ran towards where she last saw him.

As she caught up to him she asked, "What's going on, Renji?"

"I think there's an invasion going on." The vice-captain replied seriously while he kept running. "I'm going to go check it out. You stay here."

"But I want to come too." She stated stubbornly as she followed him. Renji gave her a warning look and she continued with a pout. "Okay, I'll stay here." – he then disappeared around the corner and Tsuki started to think – "But I think I'll just go for a quick visit to the cells…."

And so with a smirk she left to go find a key for the jail in the squad six barracks while everyone else was busy.

Being sure to look around cautiously for anyone around before she entered any room or hallway, Tsuki made her way to the cell where Rukia was being held. Most of the division was out on duty because of the alert, but she made sure to be cautious and look, or else she'd get caught and that wouldn't sit well between the captain and her.

After a few twists and turns, she finally came up to the door she remembered would lead to Rukia's cell. _'Time to hear her side of the story.'_ She thought to herself before taking out the key she stole and sticking it into the keyhole.

Tsuki heard a click, a sign that the door was unlocked, and she headed in to the dull lighted room.

Rukia was still there – as Tsuki had hoped – sitting on her chair. She had turned her head to the door, though, having heard it unlock and open. For a while Tsuki just stood there in the doorway, looking at the girl in the cell who was to face her death in less than twenty-five days.

Now that she had done the deed, she was thinking why she had even done it. It felt like she was standing there for an hour or so, when it had actually been a few seconds. She couldn't move or speak, but Rukia knew that she was there. It was too late to go back now.

Finally Rukia spoke, breaking the silence. "Show yourself. I know you're there, and I can feel your reiatsu." She stated with a slight cold undertone to her voice.

Slowly Tsuki stepped up to the bars of the cell and sighed with an apologetic smile while waving.

Rukia's eyes narrowed slightly before she continued, "I know you. You're the girl from yesterday. The one who came with my brother and Renji to let me know about my sentence. What are you doing here?"

"Well I…wanted to talk with you." The third seated officer explained while she fiddled with her fingers nervously. She stopped, gained her courage, and continued by saying, "But first, I think an introduction is in order. My name is Tsukiko Kishin. I am the third seated officer in squad six."

"Kishin-san, is that all you came to do?" Rukia asked, turning around to face the soul reaper she was talking to. "To talk with me?"

"Y-yes. There were some things that I wanted to make sure of." She replied with difficulty. "Rukia-san, are you really getting sentenced to death….because you gave your shinigami powers to a human?"

"Please, just call me Rukia." She stated pleasantly in response, and then her smile fell into a slight frown before she continued. "And yes, I did give my soul reaper powers to a human; a total stranger at first. But because I gave my powers to him, I changed his life…."

For a while there was silence until Tsuki spoke up, saying, "Well," making Rukia jump and look up to see that she was sitting down now. "No one's going to be around for a while, so why don't you tell me a story."

Tsuki said as she got comfortable on the floor. Rukia just stared at her with surprise and confusion so Tsuki continued, "Go on tell me about this human you gave your powers to. It'll probably make you feel better once you got it off your chest."

Rukia was silent for a little bit before she started to tell Tsuki about the orange spikey haired teenager she met while in the world of the living. And Tsuki heard about everything; the first day when she gave him her soul reaper powers so he could protect his family and friends, the days they spent together defeating hollows, and the final night when he protected Rukia to the very last moment before Renji and Byakuya took her away to the Soul Society.

Once Rukia was finished recalling her past month with the human named Ichigo Kurosaki, Tsuki was silent, deep in thought. Finally she asked, "What about this human's feelings on this matter? Surely he can't blame you for changing his life."

"It's my fault he got hurt and he's probably dead by now…." Rukia replied with sadness while looking down to her lap.

She fell silent and Tsuki stared at her until she stood up and grabbed the bars of the cell stating, "I don't think that's true. Sure Renji and Byakuya might have practically beaten him and took away his powers, but I think that since he came to protect you that last night, he's not going to just sit around and die. From what you told me, I think he could be that kind of guy. For all we know he could be on his way to rescue you because you made such an impact on his life. So don't lose hope."

"Thank you for the pep talk," Rukia said in response with a smile as she looked up to Tsuki from her seat. "But what if he is dead?"

"Then I'll find a way to get you out of this mess." Her visitor replied with courage and a smile. "Believe me when I say that sometimes your brother and I don't always think the same, and if he's not doing anything, then I'll save you." – her gaze upon Rukia and her smile softened a bit – "After all, she wouldn't have wanted this to happen to you."

Rukia was about to ask who this "she" Tsuki was referring to when someone suddenly opened the door, interrupting her. The two women turned to look who was there and found….

"What are you doing here, Tsuki-san?" the stoic voice of none other than Byakuya's resonated through the room and the person he was talking to looked back at him in slight shock. "I expected to find you in your office working diligently, but where are you really? Spending time with the prisoner."

"From what I heard Rukia was just trying to help!" Tsuki spat out with anger to protect her. "Is there really any harm to find out her side of the story?"

"Giving your soul reaper powers to a human is a crime punishable by death." Her captain stated simply in reply before turning to leave. "Now come, Tsuki-san. You have work to do"

"You can't just let them do this! She's your sister!" she shouted at her captain, still standing at the bars. "What about His-?"

Once again, Byakuya cut her off by ordering, "That's enough from you." And gave her an icy glare. Tsuki looked to Rukia one last time and Rukia said to her, "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I don't want you to be on your captain's bad side. So go."

The third seat sighed before giving Rukia an apologetic look and leaving with her captain out of the room. Once the two were out in the hallway and the door was locked, Byakuya turned to Tsuki.

"I don't want you coming back here again." He ordered.

"Yes sir." She stated with obedience while looking away downheartedly before following him back to the squad station.

All was dead silent as Tsuki and Byakuya headed back to his office. Staring at her captain's back as they walked, she was deep in thought. She wanted to help Rukia desperately, but she was lost emotionally as well. She didn't know what to do.

So then and there she decided that she'd wait and see what would unfold in the next few days. And when the time was right, she'd choose sides.

When they had arrived back to the Captain's office, they found Renji waiting for them.

"Got in trouble again, Tsuki-chan?" he asked with a smirk, noticing the third seat follow Byakuya in through the door.

"Oh be quiet Renji!" Tsuki rebutted, crossing her arms and making a pouty face at him. "Don't you have work to do?"

Before the lieutenant could answer, Byakuya asked from his desk, "Your report, Renji?"

"Oh right." The red headed shinigami stated while scratching the back of his neck, facing his captain. "Captain Ichimaru prevented the ryoka from getting in, so everything is fine now." He looked as if he wanted to add on to that, but he said nothing.

"Right. Tomorrow you will escort Rukia to the Senzaikyû Shishinrô. The day of her execution has moved up." Byakuya commanded while turning to his paperwork. "She has fourteen days left."

A worried and utterly shocked look appeared on Tsuki's face once she had heard this so Renji lightened up the mood a bit by asking, "So what did you do all day today, Tsuki?"

She refused to answer, so Byakuya answered for her, "She snuck into the cells where Rukia was held. I was thinking of a small punishment for her."

Renji looked over to Tsuki with shock. Sure Tsuki was a no good trouble maker when it came to standing up to the captain, but she had never done anything this drastic in the past month.

"Did she have a good reason for doing this?" the red head asked concern apparent in his voice.

"Not good enough for me to let her go without punishment." Their captain replied with indifference. Renji sighed before getting a pretty good idea.

He gave Tsuki a sneaky grin and said, "How about she does my paperwork from today _and_ the paperwork she never did."

"That's not fair!" she shouted defiantly. "I'll be up until the crack of dawn doing that paperwork!"

"Maybe that'll teach you to not disobey the captain." The vice-captain stated with the grin still on his face.

"Fine, I'll do it." Tsuki said as she stomped off to go do the work she skipped out on. But before she left the office, she blew a raspberry at Renji.

The next day was pretty much uneventful. Renji left to go take Rukia to the Senzaikyû Shishinrô but when he came back he seemed to be somewhere else entirely. Something must have shaken him up, but Tsuki decided not to ask about it.

In the meantime, Byakuya was called in for a captain's meeting, so most of the day Tsuki was alone at the squad station. Kioku hadn't come back to see her for a few days now and she was starting to get worried. She couldn't even go to see if he had come back to the squad five barracks because she had so much work to finish.

So most of the time she was shut up in her office, doing paperwork or delivering papers to the other divisions. The day after that Tsuki was alone again because Renji was unexpectedly called in to a vice-captains meeting.

'_It's so not fun without Renji or Kioku to keep me company….'_ She thought to herself while taking a break and looking at the sky. _'I wouldn't even mind if it was Byakuya either.'_ – she sighed – _'It's going to be a clear night tonight.'_

She then stood up and brushed herself off before returning to her office to finish her work for the day. Later, as Tsuki was taking her nightly stroll to her room to retire for the day, she heard the alarm sounding out as it had two days before, _**"Emergency! Emergency! Intruder in the Seireitei! All guardsmen to battle stations!"**_

Tsuki jumped at the sudden noise and looked back towards the squad station where other soul reapers were running about to get into position.

'_I'd better meet up with Renji and Captain Kuchiki to see what exactly is going on.'_ She thought before running back to where she could sense the reishi of the two. Once she reached them she asked, "Could it be the same person that was trying to get in a couple of days ago?"

"I can't say for sure." Renji replied. "But we need to stay alert." Tsuki nodded in agreement before a light in the sky caught her eye. "What's that?!" he continued with disbelief as the three of them watched it climb higher and higher into the deep blue starry sky. A second passed and after it crashed into the protective barrier around the Seireitei, it split into four tiny comets, and disappeared into the streets.

"What do we do Captain Kuchiki?" Tsuki asked with concern as she turned to him for an answer.

"Stay alert. They could be anywhere." He replied seriously. "There should be soul reapers already in position to apprehend the ryoka."

"Right." The third seated officer agreed while relaxing a bit.

All around, she could feel the clashing of reishi as the battles started. One in particular stood out. This reishi felt the same as a soul reaper's but at a captain's level. Tsuki wondered to herself who this person she was sensing could be, but she felt as if it could be that human Rukia was talking about. Her eyes narrowed with worry. What was she going to do now?

* * *

**That's the third chapter for today. More to come on the weekend!**

**And don't forget to post any questions you might have, whether it's your first time reading or your second or more!**


	4. Tsuki's Decision

All Tsuki could sense for the rest of the day while she was working were the many spiritual pressures of those who were fighting and the countless soul reapers on guard in the Seireitei, most of them being the battle-eager eleventh division.

'_Their captain must be out there too…_' she thought with horror, imagining the spikey-haired Kenpachi running around in the streets with his lieutenant on his back, searching for someone to fight. _'Suddenly I'm starting to feel sorry for those ryoka.'_

There was even a moment when a firework went off in the sky which got Tsuki thinking that the ryoka were much stronger than everyone thought. She stood up and stretched, then walked outside to take a break and get some fresh air. Outside she found the two female soul reapers that had greeted her on their captain's first day. They looked a little apprehensive while they spoke quietly with their backs to Tsuki, so she walked over to see what was wrong.

"Hello," she greeted, making them jump with surprise. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

The two females turned to face her with worried looks. "Um, no." the dark-haired one replied nervously as she looked away. "Thanks for offering, though."

Tsuki shrugged and was about to leave when the other one with the light hair spoke up. "Actually," she stated, making the third seat stop to look at them. "There is something we wanted to tell you…." – she paused while Tsuki walked back to them to listen – "There was a letter meant to be delivered to you, but we took it instead because you were so busy."

She withdrew the letter from her robes and gave it to her superior, then backed up a space. Suddenly the two subordinates bowed shouting; "Sorry!" then quickly left around the corner before Tsuki could ask why they said what they said.

After a while, Tsuki looked down on the letter and opened it, wondering who sent it and what it was about. She looked upon it for a few moments, picking out Kioku's name which was mentioned a few times in the letter. Finally she read through it. It said:

_**Tsukiko Kishin,**_

_**I am sorry to say that Kioku has not come to the Squad Five Station to accept his mission. I am afraid that he has gone missing and Captain Aizen also believes this to be true. He said the last time he saw Kioku was last night leaving the barracks. I'm so sorry for this inconvenience. I will keep you informed as to his whereabouts until we find him.**_

_**Sincerely, Lieutenant Hinamori of Squad Five**_

She couldn't believe the words of the letter, so she read it two more times before it set in and she realized that he was gone. "N-No. It can't be true." She muttered to herself, her eyes brimming with tears as she clutched the document to her chest.

She then became displeased as she thought of the very man who could be behind her fiancé's disappearance; Captain Aizen. It was him and she knew it.

'_I'm going to go give him a piece of my mind!'_ she thought while walking in the direction of the fifth division, not paying attention to her surroundings. As soon as she rounded the corner, she bumped into someone. Giving a mumbled apology, she continued on her way until the voice of her captain stopped her.

"In a hurry, Tsuki-san?" he asked. She turned around to face her captain, who was the person she collided with.

"Yes." Tsuki replied with an annoyed tone in her voice.

"Might I ask where you are hurrying to?" her captain asked further.

"I'm going to go have a word with Captain Aizen about a private matter." She answered, still clutching the letter in her hand. She looked down at it sadly before continuing, "My fiancé went missing, and I think he's behind it." – she looked up to Byakuya – "Now if you're finished, I'd like to go as quickly as I can."

She turned to leave but Byakuya stated, "Before you go, I'd like to add that Captain Aizen has been absent since earlier this morning." Tsuki paused for a moment, and then continued to walk on. "Where are you going?" he asked as he followed her.

She paused and gave a sidelong glance at her captain before answering, "For a walk to calm my nerves." She then used flash step and disappeared, leaving Byakuya to his thoughts.

While journeying back to his office, he remained deep in his thoughts. Tsuki has a fiancé? She never told him. But why? Why didn't she tell him? She would usually share her troubles and news with friends. And she still considered him a friend, didn't she? He began to feel a little irksome. Was it because Tsuki never told him? Or was it something else…?

By this time, he was in his office, at his seat, just noticing Renji standing before him, who was waiting for him to return.

"Uh….Captain?" he said to get his attention. He looked worried as he continued, "Is there something wrong?"

"What are you doing here?" Byakuya asked, breaking out of his thoughts and turning to the papers on his desk designated for signing.

"I just came to check in before leaving to a meeting." Renji replied. "What were you thinking about?" His captain didn't answer, so he questioned further, "Where's Tsuki-chan?"

"Out for a walk." Byakuya stated in response, starting to sign the papers on his desk. He paused, and then asked suddenly, "Did you know that Tsuki-san has a fiancé?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, she does, doesn't she?" Renji said, scratching the back of his neck while racking his brain for information. "I think his name is Kioku Shimazaki and he's in Squad Five. He's an unseated officer with his family in the same situation as Tsuki's. I think they've been together for a while now…." – he paused before looking at his captain again – "What did something happen to him?"

"He went missing." Byakuya stated simply, slightly annoyed at something he couldn't quite put his finger on. At any rate, he was done having this conversation, so he continued by saying, "Don't you have a meeting attend?"

"Oh, Right." Renji said half to himself as he turned to leave. "See you later." He then exited the office, leaving his captain to his work.

The day continued in chaos while Tsuki lounged on a roof somewhere along the streets of the Seireitei. Shouts could be heard all around and she could sense the spiritual pressures of the soul reapers and ryoka still clashing in battle. But it was a little more peaceful where she was, and before she knew it, she was asleep. The fact that she stayed up since early that morning and the worries she had for her fiancé finally caught up to her.

A few hours later, Tsuki stirred in her sleep as she felt a tingling sensation on her nose. After a few moments, she opened her eyes to see a hell butterfly resting upon the tip her nose.

"Ah. Hello little guy." She said with a comforting smile. "Have you got a message for me?" She sat up and brought her finger up to where the butterfly was and almost instantly it alighted on her digit.

After that the voice of her captain came from the fragile creature, ordering, **"**_**Please meet me immediately in my office. I will inform you of what has happened upon your arrival."**_

Tsuki stood up, and the butterfly started to fly back to the barracks where it came from. She followed it and finally came to the meeting place. She opened the door, and found Byakuya pacing the floor in thought.

As soon as he heard the door open, he looked up with a slightly annoyed look on his face. "You're ten minutes late." He stated, facing her.

"Oh, sorry." Tsuki said in response, an embarrassed look upon her face. "I fell asleep."

"Never mind that," her captain stated after a pause while walking a little closer to Tsuki. "Renji disappeared a few hours ago and has finally been found. We're going to go see him now."

He continued walking to the door and left, a worried Tsuki following the stoic captain. Once they were coming up to their destination, Tsuki could see two other people with Renji.

One was a small female soul reaper with her hair tied up in a bun and she had her back to them. The other was a male with short spikeyish blond hair. As the captain and third seat approached further, Tsuki could hear bits of their conversation.

"….had come to his aid sooner…" the blonde said to the small female.

"It isn't your fault." The female replied, sounding as if she was just crying. "I'll contact the fourth division and see if they can send a high level rescue unit."

At this point Byakuya and Tsuki were right behind the other two, and Tsuki could see just what happened to Renji. His hair was undone, and he looked like he had been through a tough battle, as he had acquired a huge gash across his shoulder and chest.

"That will not be necessary." She heard Byakuya say to the female, who was Momo Hinamori and the blond, who was Izuru Kira, making the two jump and Tsuki to look at him with concern. "Just dump him in a cell."

The two whirled around quickly and exclaimed, "Captain Kuchiki!" with surprise.

"Renji fought the ryoka by himself," Momo declared as Byakuya turned to leave. "He-."

The captain then interrupted, stating with indifference, "It was his choice to go into battle alone. Defeat is not an option. We have no use for fools like him. Now take him away."

He then continued his walk to the door, Tsuki following obediently, even though she was against what her captain said.

"Wait!" Momo shouted when he was about to leave, taking his and Tsuki's attention. "That's no way to speak of-."

But she was cut off by Kira placing his hand on her shoulder. After that they both apologized and Byakuya left the room. Before Tsuki left to follow, she bowed and told them to call someone from the fourth division anyway. Outside, she caught up to her captain and fell into pace beside him. For a while they walked in silence, until Tsuki spoke up.

"Don't you think that was shallow," she started hesitantly. "Telling them to throw Renji in jail?"

"Don't question my authority, Tsuki-san," was all he had to say in response.

"I know but…." She continued, choosing her words wisely before speaking them. "What if it was the ryoka? What if he was the one to push Renji into fighting him?"

Byakuya sighed before answering, "Even so, he was defeated, and we have no need of beaten fools like him."

"Is that it then?" Tsuki said, stopping with her head bowed over. "You take people in and then when you don't need them anymore you abandon them? First Rukia, now Renji." – she looked up and tears were in her eyes – "What will you do when you don't need me anymore, Byakuya Kuchiki?"

For a while he was silent with his back to her. She couldn't take the silence anymore so she brushed by him saying, "I'm done with the way you do things. And you can't take me back. I've made my choice." And with that she flash stepped away….

Later that night, Tsuki was preparing herself to leave and find the ryoka who defeated Renji. She packed everything she could, but packed light. Finally she stood up and was about to leave, but she turned back to get her zanpaku-tô.

"I might be needing you where I'm going, Tsuyoi-ai." She said to the sword before fitting it into place at her hip. Then she left her room and into the night with a determined look in her eye.

* * *

**So…no questions yet, but that's okay! Sorry about not putting up anything during the weekend like I said I would. But anyway, to space it out a little more, I'm going to only be submitting two edited chapters every Tuesday, Thursday, and on the weekends. Until then see ya!**


	5. Ichigo Kurosaki

"I don't see where they could've gone…." Tsuki said to herself as she looked around the area to see where the ryoka may be hiding. "I heard in the reports that they disappeared when the patrol came to see what was going on."

She looked around some more before shrugging and turning to leave. As she did so she nearly tripped over a slate on the ground that was sticking up. _'What the-?!'_ she thought, looking back to see what she stubbed her toe on.

What she saw was an opening in the ground which was caused by her tripping over the slate and moving it. She gazed down into the hole and into the dark. _'I think I know where they went now….'_ Smirking to herself, she grabbed onto the ladder leading down into the abyss and started to climb down.

When she felt her feet touch the ground, she let go of the ladder and took in her surroundings.

'_So this is the sewer….' _She thought as she gazed into the river of sewage beneath her. _'Smells…interesting…'_ – she noticed a different smell and looked around for the source – _'It smells like blood. But where is it coming from?'_

Tsuki then gazed down on the ground and saw droplets of red liquid, forming a path. She bent down and brushed her fingers on the places where she saw it and brought it up to her nose to smell.

"Bingo!" she exclaimed, standing up straight with a smile. "….But whose blood is it? I guess I'll have to follow the drops to find out…."

And so she did, making sure to look around corners and being extra cautious in case the ryoka were looking out for soul reapers on the prowl. Finally she came to a bend in the path from where she saw a light.

'_This must be where they're hiding out.'_ She thought, sidling up to the corner quietly.

Suddenly she heard a familiar voice shout out, "Ichigo-san, where are you going?" After hearing this, Tsuki smirked to herself, but began wondering who the person who spoke was. Soon after was the noise of a fist on flesh and a thump.

"Ganju-san!" the voice from before exclaimed.

"You're not okay if I can knock you out that easily." A more burley voice stated. "Now sleep until your wounds heal baka."

"Oh not another wound." The younger voice said as she heard a dragging sound. "You were too tough on him Ganju-san."

"Well I stopped him didn't I?" the voice belonging to 'Ganju-san' was heard. "I did my job so don't complain!"

After the ruckus died down, Tsuki went around the corner. When she did her gaze fell immediately on the spikey haired kid who was being dragged into a small room by a soul reaper with black hair. A big guy with green and white clothing was beside him.

"Ah, so that's Ichigo." Tsuki stated with wonder, making the two males turn around with surprise on their faces.

"What are you doing here Tsuki-san?!" the younger soul reaper with blue colored eyes exclaimed. He was wearing the shihakushô, but the sleeves were tied up and his hands and arms were covered with long gloves.

"I should say the same thing Hanatarô-kun." Tsuki replied, crossing her arms with a smile.

"You know her?" the man Tsuki assumed was Ganju asked while he pointed to her.

"Yes. Tsuki-san is nice. She sometimes even takes the time to help me whenever we run into each other." The young soul reaper stated reassuringly. "I don't think she's here to stop us."

"Ever the trustful one Hanatarô-kun…" Tsuki said half to herself while crossing her arms and shaking her head.

"So are you here to rescue Rukia too?" Ganju questioned with seriousness in his voice.

"Bingo!" she answered as she gave them a thumbs up.

"But Tsuki-san, you know how your captain is when you disobey him." Hanatarô told her with worry. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes." She said with determination and a smile. "I definitely want to do this. If he isn't going to save his own sister, I will. Or at least I'll help Ichigo. I just need to make my captain see that he's making a big mistake."

"Okay. It's your choice." Hanatarô stated. "Well I have to go finish healing Ichigo-san. You better get some rest. We have a big day tomorrow."

He started to leave with the orange haired ryoka and Tsuki started to follow. "I'll help you if you need it." She said happily.

Meanwhile, Ganju was a little wary of Tsuki. She just suddenly appeared and said she would help. Maybe this was all part of her plan to catch them off guard and lock them up. But Hanatarô said she was harmless, so Ganju couldn't help but go with it. In the end he just shrugged and sat up against the wall to keep a look out.

All night, Tsuki kept falling into a restless sleep and woke up constantly. She said she was okay with going against her captain, but she was worried about what he would do if he found out. Finally she realized that she wasn't going to get any more sleep and decided to sit up and keep watch.

Tsuki then heard a voice from behind her ask, "Who are you?"

She turned around to find the orange spikey haired head of Ichigo. Now that she saw him in person, she could see his features better. He stood five feet and nine inches high and his eyes were brown. He looked like any other soul reaper, and his sword was as long as he was tall. His zanpaku-tô was wrapped in white cloth and shaped like a large knife.

"Ah." She finally said, noticing the boy reach for his zanpaku-tô. "You can keep your sword put away. I'm here to help you. I'm Tsukiko Kishin by the way, but you can call me Tsuki."

"Oh." The soul reaper named Ichigo said as he released his grip on his sword. "Why are you here then?"

"Let's just say I want to rescue Rukia as much as you and your friends do." Tsuki answered with some thought.

"What about your captain?" he questioned further with seriousness.

"You don't need to worry about me." Tsuki replied with the same tone. She then smiled. "Just worry about getting to Rukia for now."

Just then Ganju was waking up. He took one look at Hanatarô sleeping on his lap and drooling and let out a shout of surprise. "Hanatarô what are you doing sleeping on my lap?" he shouted, standing up and making the exhausted soul reaper fall to the ground. "And you slobbered all over my best pants too!"

Behind him Tsuki was giggling and Ichigo told him it was just a little drool and to let him go.

"Ichigo!" Ganju exclaimed while turning towards him. "Are you better now?"

"Thanks to Hanatarô." The orange haired soul reaper answered. "You're feeling better too, right? He healed your wounds after he healed all of mine." – he turned away to face the way out – "It's time to try again. This time I'm sure I'll make it. To the Senzaikyû."

Not long after Hanatarô woke up in a daze, so he pulled out a large round pill with a skull printed on it. Instantly Ichigo and Ganju came up close and asked, "What is that?"

"It's a special nutritional fortification pill that we can take so we don't feel tired when we work." Hanatarô answered, showing them the pill.

Ichigo and Ganju couldn't believe their eyes while Tsuki stood behind them with an 'I can't believe them' look on her face. Hanatarô then popped the pill in his mouth and….nothing happened.

'_I think the other squad four members gave him a dud again.'_ Tsuki thought to herself while Hanatarô stood up saying, "Okay, let's go."

"Whoa, wait a minute!" Ichigo shouted and Hanatarô looked back with a questioning look on his face.

"Did it work? It didn't look like it did!" Ganju stated with surprise.

"Huh? I don't have an 'I feel great!' look about me?" Hanatarô asked as he pointed to himself.

"You look worse than you did before." Ichigo replied with a straight face.

"Is this a joke?" was all Ganju had to say.

Tsuki just smiled and thought, _'Guys will always be guys….'_

"There's no one here you guys." Tsuki stated as she bent down over the entrance to the sewer. The three young men cautiously emerged from the opening and looked around.

"It's odd that there are no guards out here after the battle yesterday." Ichigo said with wonder while he climbed out with the other two.

"Maybe it's because they never thought that the enemy might come back so soon." Ganju stated in response. When they were all out, Ganju started to ask about what Tsuki assumed were the other ryoka.

As they spoke, Tsuki thought, _'Ichigo has so much confidence in his friends….How memorable.'_

Once he was done, they set off towards the many stairs that lead up to the Senzaikyû. As they ran up the stairs, Ganju kept complaining about how there were so many steps and Ichigo told him that they were almost there. Finally they arrived at the top.

"There aren't even guards here." Ichigo said as they continued down the path. "Okay. We're going all the way."

Suddenly an immense spiritual pressure stopped them in their tracks. _'Wait, is this…?'_ Tsuki thought as the four of them looked around for the source of the reishi.

"This spiritual pressure is intense!" Ganju shouted. "Where is it coming from?"

"Just run!" Ichigo said in response, turning to continue. "I don't think we want to run into this guy! Let's cover some ground before he finds us!"

The other three agreed and ran on towards the Senzaikyû. As they continued running, the spiritual pressure was still there and slowing the four down on their way to the white tower. Suddenly Hanatarô fell down.

"Hanatarô!" Ganju exclaimed while he and Tsuki stopped to look behind to check on him. "What's going on?"

"Sorry…" he replied weakly, standing up slowly. "My strength…."

He then bent over in pain and Ganju picked him up saying, "Like looking after a baby!" before continuing to run.

They covered another few yards, when Ichigo stopped in his tracks and not long after that, a tall soul reaper appeared behind him. "You are Ichigo Kurosaki, are you not?" he asked, looming over him. Ichigo turned around with surprise on his face.

"Who are you?" he asked in turn. "How do you know my name?"

"Didn't Ikkaku tell you?" the tall soul reaper said before smirking. "I'm Kenpachi Zaraki, captain of the eleventh division and I'm here to kill you or die. Now shall we start?"

Before Ichigo could draw his zanpaku-tô, Hanatarô passed out and fell to the ground and Ganju was keeled over from the reishi coming from Kenpachi. Tsuki was feeling pretty weak as well. Ichigo looked back at them and was concerned and wanted to help.

"Ichigo you baka!" Ganju shouted.

"We're all okay. Don't worry about us." Tsuki added, holding herself up.

"Keep your attention on the enemy." Ganju continued. "If you keep turning your back on him you'll get killed."

Ichigo was about to say something but a little girl's voice interrupted, "Oooh lookie! That guy's drooling!" A small pink haired girl with brown eyes popped out from behind Kenpachi's back and jumped to Ichigo's shoulder before continuing. "Aw! He must be scared of Kenny!" she said, trying to get a closer look. "Poor guy!" Ichigo retaliated and jerked his shoulder back, making her jump back over to Kenpachi. "That man's mad at me…." The girl stated with a pouty face.

"Of course he is." Kenpachi said in response.

Ichigo drew his zanpaku-tô and looked back at Ganju saying, "Grab Hanatarô and go. You too, Tsuki! I'll take care of him. Go and save Rukia."

At first Ganju didn't want to go, but he was persuaded. He grabbed Hanatarô and ran off. Before Tsuki followed, she told him, "Be careful Ichigo, you better stay in one piece."

He nodded and she left. She then caught up to Ganju and they continued running together. After a few minutes when they could no longer feel the spiritual pressure of Kenpachi, Hanatarô woke up. At first he was in a daze, but he jolted up and looked back to where Ichigo was.

"What's wrong?" Ganju asked. Hanatarô leaned down saying with an urgent tone in his voice, "Where's Ichigo-san?"

"He stayed behind." Ganju replied hesitantly.

"By himself?!" Hanatarô shouted with disbelief. "No! We have to go back!"

"We can't go back!" Tsuki told him. "You'll faint again. Besides, what good will we be when he wanted to fight Ichigo and not us."

"But Ichigo-san will be killed! That's Captain Kenpachi Zaraki of the eleventh division. His name is of those who love fighting above all else, and he has slain too many to count. That name means…." Hanatarô said with worry. "No matter how many times you cut him, he'll never fall!"

He then jumped down from Ganju's shoulders and started to leave, but was stopped by the burly man himself.

"Let me go!" Hanatarô said from within Ganju's grip. "If I don't, Ichigo-san will be killed!"

"What use are we? The two of us were practically paralyzed by his pressure alone. Even Tsuki was barely holding her ground. So what could you do? Out of the four of us, Ichigo's the only one who could stand a chance. I don't like it either, but we'd only be in his way if we went back. Now we've got a job to do." Ganju lectured him seriously. "Ichigo has come here to save this Rukia. If he could, he'd save her himself, but he's stayed behind to let us take over. Ichigo is risking his life to buy us time. He's entrusted us with the most important job of all. We have to rescue her, no matter what. If we don't go and do what we're supposed to do, we're throwing away what Ichigo's risking. Are we going to do this or what?"

Hanatarô agreed and they continued running on to where Rukia was being held. "That was a very inspiring speech, Ganju-san." Tsuki stated with a smile.

"Yeah, yeah," he said in response with embarrassment. "I was just telling it like it is."

Tsuki giggled as they continued on and Hanatarô smiled.

* * *

**So that's it for today! Next chapters coming Thursday! And don't forget that you can still post questions if you have them. If not, that's okay.**


	6. Unavoidable Confrontation

Once the Senzaikyû was in sight, Kenpachi's spiritual pressure eased up and it got quiet in the area. Hanatarô looked back to where Ichigo was fighting Kenpachi and said, "The noise stopped. Do you think that Ichigo-san is okay?"

"We're here. I can only hope that he is." Ganju answered while Tsuki bit her lip, hoping too. "No time to worry about him now. We have to focus on the task at hand now." He then pulled out a grapple hook on a rope and swung it around in a circle, aiming for closer to the tower before continuing, "We're heading over. Get ready Hanatarô, Tsuki."

"Right!" the other two agreed simultaneously.

After they jumped over, they snuck closer on the roofs until they came up to a place where two men were holding vigil. From their voices, Tsuki could tell that they were talking about Kenpachi and Ichigo's fight and how the reishi affected them. Being as quiet as he could, Hanatarô brought out a vial and dripped on top of one of the soul reaper's heads. Instantly he was knocked out and it was Ganju's turn. He jumped down and took care of the other soul reaper. After he was done, Tsuki and Hanatarô joined Ganju down below.

"You overdid it again." Hanatarô commented gazing at the wounded unconscious man.

"What did you do to the other guy?" Ganju asked him.

"Oh, I just used this." He replied, pulling out the vial. "It's called Shinten. It's a tranquilizer. One drop of this on a soul reaper with weak spiritual pressure and they faint."

"You have something that scary on you?" Ganju stated with fear.

"It is?" Hanatarô said with wonder. "It doesn't have any effect on someone with a high reishi though."

They continued on until they came to a door leading to the inside of the tower.

"All that's left is this door." Ganju stated, his arms crossed and thinking. "How should I open it?"

"That's alright." Hana said as he rummaged in his robes. Finally he pulled out a key and said, "This backup key was in the storage room in the sewers." Then he went on saying that all he did was run away and all he could do to help was stealing keys. In response, Tsuki said his name with concern.

"What you've done is enough." He smiled before opening the door with the key.

"Hey we've come all this way to rescue this Rukia." Ganju stated as the door began to open. "She's gotta be out-of-this-world cute."

"Well…." Hanatarô started.

"Come out~." Ganju went on with a light voice. "Don't be shy Rukia-chan~." He took one look at her and shock appeared on his face.

Rukia took a look at Ganju and said with confusion, "Are you Ichigo's friends?" Hanatarô and Tsuki came out from behind him and Rukia's face turned to shock. "Hanatarô…and Tsuki? Why are you here?" she asked while Hana ran up to her and grabbed her wrist.

"We'll tell you later." He replied gladly, leading her to the way out. "Right now Ganju, Tsuki and I need to get you out of here…." – he took a look at Ganju's face – "What's wrong Ganju-san?"

Rukia took another look at Ganju and recognized the symbol on his pants. "The symbol on your outfit….The explosive swirl of dissention…." She said slowly. "Are you a member of the Shiba clan?"

'_Shiba clan?'_ Tsuki thought at that moment with surprise. _'She doesn't mean the one that fell and seemed to disappear does she?_'

"Do you know each other…?" Hanatarô asked, curious about what was going on.

"Yeah." Ganju replied with difficulty. "That face…I'll never forget…She is the soul reaper who killed my brother!"

Shock appeared on Tsuki's and Hanataro's faces. Hana was the first to go back to normal and he told Ganju that Rukia would never kill someone, but Ganju told them otherwise.

"My brother's body was covered with sword wounds; his neck was slashed open and he was stabbed in the chest." He said, anger now filling the words he spoke. "If he fought a hollow, he wouldn't have those kinds of wounds! And she told me! She told me that she killed him!"

"He's telling the truth." Rukia stated sadly. "I did kill the eldest of the Shiba family, Kaen Shiba." Suddenly Ganju leaped forth and grabbed Rukia by her collar.

"Ganju, no!" Tsuki shouted, but by now, all reasoning was ignored.

Rukia had no qualms though. She stared Ganju right in the eyes and told him, "Go ahead and do it. I will have no regrets if I die by your hand."

Tsuki knew she couldn't stop him, but Hana tried all the same. "Isn't it our job to rescue her?" he asked while holding on to his free arm. "Didn't you say that yourself?"

Suddenly a strong spiritual pressure hit them and Tsuki, knowing exactly who it was, backed up so he couldn't see her. The others were at a loss as to whose pressure that was.

"Someone is coming!" Hana shouted while Ganju let go of his hold on Rukia. They looked outside and who did they see?

"Whaaaaaa!" they both shouted and Hana continued, "It's Captain Byakuya Kuchiki!"

"So he's Byakuya Kuchiki." Ganju commented, watching the captain make his way closer to where they were.

"You know him?" Hana asked. "Of course I do! The Kuchiki clan is one of the great four clans and is the most prominent. Not only that but Byakuya himself is the greatest clan leader ever! Why'd he have to show up now?" Ganju explained as he clenched his teeth. "We can't beat him. We don't stand a chance! Maybe we'll get by if we beg for our lives…"

"What do you mean, Ganju-san?" Hanatarô asked, disbelief in his voice. "We have to get Rukia-san out of here!"

"You crazy?! The only way is across the bridge. He'll kill us if we try to leave!" he shouted in response. "You want me to risk my life for her? She killed my brother. I'm not doing this!"

For a while they were all silent, until Hana spoke. "Right. There's no reason you'd risk your life for her. But can you take her with you?" he told Ganju bravely, while looking to him. "I'll stay and stop him."

"But Hanatarô-kun!" Tsuki said with worry. "You'll be killed!"

"I know. But you can't do much of anything because of your fear of him finding out." Hana continued. "And I would do the same if I was in Ganju-san's position. All I want to do is save Rukia." – he bowed to them – "Thank you for everything! I hope we meet again!" He came back up from his bow with a smile and all Tsuki and Ganju could do was watch.

Rukia tried to stop him as he left out the door to meet Byakuya in battle, but Ganju stopped her and pushed her back into the room. Tsuki looked at him with questioning as he shouted and banged his head against the wall. After that he walked out to take Hana's place by pushing him out of the way and going out to meet his enemy. Tsuki watched with worry and then horror as Ganju fought against her captain and saw that he was losing. Finally Byakuya used his Shikai to finish him off and he was slashed in more than one place.

Before the captain could use the same move on him, Tsuki risked it and used flash step to protect Ganju. "Stop this please, Captain!" she shouted after appearing before him with her arms spread out.

He straightened up just as a look of shock came upon his face. "Tsuki-san, what are you doing here?" he asked her while she put her arms back down.

"I- I wanted to help s-save Rukia…." She answered hesitantly.

"Didn't I tell you not to concern yourself?" Byakuya said with a frown.

"But you weren't doing a thing!" Tsuki shouted. "She's your sister, Captain, and if you are just going to sit around and do nothing about it, then I will."

Byakuya wasn't happy at all about this. He narrowed his eyes at her and told her sternly, "Then I will stop you from completing your task." He then made his sword go back to normal and went into a fighting stance.

"I didn't want to do it this way…." Tsuki commented as she reached for her zanpaku-tô. "But it looks like I'll need your help with this Tsuyoi-ai." Once her hand was on the hilt, she recited her shikai release, "Help me protect my loved ones, Tsuyoi-ai!" As she said this, she started to pull the zanpaku-tô out of its scabbard and it formed into two light yellow colored fans with light blue tips and bells hanging off the bottoms from blue colored ribbon. Despite their look, the fans were made of steel and could block any attack.

"Going on the defense then?" Byakuya asked, stepping forward.

"For now." Tsuki replied while doing the same with her fans opened.

His expression remained the same as he slashed his sword at her. She responded by easily ducking over to the side and attacking with one of her fans. He dodged as well before telling her, "If you think you can defeat me with those, then you're mistaken."

"Then I guess it's time for a change." Tsuki stated with a smirk.

She took the fans and put the bottoms of them together. A hilt formed from them with bells on a blue ribbon tied to the end then a blade extended from the hilt. When completed, the claymore sword was about fifty-five inches in length. Tsuki had to hold the sword with both hands, ready to duel with her captain. First she thrust her sword forward with incredible speed and yet Byakuya still dodged. It seemed as if he was still faster than her. Tsuki gritted her teeth and slashed some more until she had him pinned up against the side of the bridge.

"Go now!" she shouted to Hanatarô and Rukia. "Get out of here while I've still got him here!"

"But Tsuki-san, Rukia is weak right now!" Hana said in response with worry.

"Wh-?!" Tsuki uttered while looking over to them. Byakuya took this diversion as a chance to strike back. He pushed her away with his sword, causing her to fall back against the other side of the bridge. Just as he was about to use kido to restrain her, she pulled on the hilt from opposite ways to make the fans again.

"I don't think so." She said with a smile while holding up her fans to protect her. "While I have these with me, you can't hit me with your zanpaku-tô or your kido."

Byakuya's frown deepened as she continued to attack him. Finally she jabbed forward towards his face and he moved it over to dodge it. In the last minute, he caught her wrist in his firm grip, surprising her.

"Tsuki-san!" Hanatarô shouted with horror on his face.

"This will be the last time you disobey me." Byakuya stated icily with anger.

"Not unless my heart tells me otherwise." Tsuki said with the same tone. "And I always follow my heart. Maybe you should do the same."

He then became more annoyed and was about to do harm, when a hand grabbed his wrist, stopping him. They both looked to see…

* * *

**Just going through to the end now. The interesting thing is that I have to read back and make sure that everything is correct. So far I've only made one mistake so let's hope that I haven't made anymore...**


	7. Rescue

"Ukitake-sempai!" Tsuki shouted with surprise, looking over Byakuya's shoulder at the long white haired captain of the thirteenth division.

"Phew. Made it in time." He stated with a smile while Byakuya looked over his shoulder at him. "Haven't you done enough, Captain Kuchiki?" He let go of Byakuya's hand and noticed Rukia was out and continued, "Hey Rukia, looks like you've lost weight. How are you?" – his attention turned to Tsuki – "And how are you Tsuki-chan?"

Before either of the two girls could answer, Byakuya asked him, "What are you doing, Ukitake?"

"I should be asking the same of you. You know there's a ban against drawing out your zanpaku-tô here." The white-haired captain stated in response with a slight frown. "Even if it is to drive off the ryoka. And why were you just about to strike Tsuki-chan?"

"A war time exemption has been issued. We are allowed to use our zanpaku-tô." The stoic captain of squad six replied indifferently. "And Tsuki-san has disobeyed me. As her captain, I was just about to punish her."

"A war time exemption? Surely that can't be because of a few wayward ryoka?!" Ukitake said with surprise and worry. "And is attacking Tsuki-chan like that really a wise punishment?"

"It's not your place to tell me how to punish my subordinates when they disobey." Byakuya shot back with an icy glare. "Also, Aizen wasn't killed by a ryoka's hand he was killed by-."

Ukitake was about to finish when Tsuki suddenly fainted of exhaustion and an unfamiliar spiritual pressure appeared. "It feels like the pressure of a captain," Ukitake shouted with surprise as he and Byakuya looked up into the sky. "But I can't tell whose it is or where it's coming from!"

Then something shot towards them from up in the sky and the figure of a male with orange hair was seen flying down towards them. He landed in front of Rukia but before she could say anything to him, he walked over to Hanatarô and said, "Are you okay? I shouldn't have sent you three ahead. Where are Ganju and Tsuki?"

Hana explained with worry and when he was done, Ichigo walked over to Rukia and stood beside her, stating with his mind made up, "Rukia, I've come to rescue you." She just looked up to him surprise and worry. "What's with that look on your face?" Ichigo asked with a frown. "I come all this way to save you. The least you could do is smile."

"You fool!" Rukia exclaimed, upset at the orange haired soul reaper. "I told you not to come after me…"

Ichigo looked to where Ganju and Tsuki were laying and sighed before telling her. "So what if I'm an idiot? You can yell at me all you want later." He said with determination, his gaze turning to Byakuya. "After I beat him!"

Rukia tried to protest but Ichigo was ready to tell her of his thoughts about her execution. "I'm not going to give up. I'm here to save you." He continued and then faced her again. "I don't care if you want to be executed. I'm going to drag you back if I have to!"

The two then began to fight which then ended with Ichigo reassuring Rukia. While that was happening, on the other end of the bridge Ukitake was shocked to see someone who looked so familiar to his late vice-captain, Kaien Shiba.

"Byakuya…." He said as he watched Ichigo with surprise. "Who is that?"

"He's not the person you're thinking of. They aren't even related." The sixth division captain replied with indifference and malice. "He's no one, just a ryoka. I'll take care of him and then this will come to an end." Finally Ichigo and Byakuya stepped closer to each other to clash.

"I'm surprised you didn't attack while Rukia and I were talking." The orange-haired soul reaper commented with a smirk as he reached for his sword and his gaze fell on Tsuki before he continued. "I'm also surprised that you would attack one of your own."

"That is none of your business." Byakuya shot back seriously. "And did you think I would attack while you had your guard down? You have a big mouth, boy."

He strengthened his reishi to make the young shinigami come to his senses that he was up against someone way stronger than him but Ichigo didn't even flinch. He just drew out his zanpaku-tô.

"Hmm. You don't seem to be fazed. You've improved." Byakuya observed, not drawing out his sword just yet. "I don't know how you got your shinigami powers back, but you should've stayed in the world of the living. It was foolish of you to come here to waste the life that I spared."

"I didn't come here for that purpose." Ichigo replied. "I'm going to beat you, and go home with Rukia."

In the blink of an eye, Byakuya vanished. Ichigo looked at the place he last was with surprise, but he kept his cool. Byakuya was planning to use the same technique to defeat him. At the last moment, Ichigo guarded his back and the clanging of sword hitting sword resonated in the air. Byakuya was surprised. How could he do that?

The orange haired shinigami looked to him and said, "I see you, Byakuya Kuchiki." Ichigo could now see the squad six captain's movements. The boy had improved since they last met.

"Well….Before you get too excited about that newfound strength of yours," Byakuya stated, positioning his zanpaku-tô so that it was vertical in front of his face. "I will show you that there is a big difference in our skills and that you will not defeat me even in a thousand years."

Rukia suddenly knew what was coming and shouted out for Ichigo to run, but before he could and before Byakuya spoke his incantation, a white bandage bound his zanpaku-tô and a figure was there.

She stood up for all to see her face. She was five feet two inches tall and was dark-skinned and slender. She had purple locks held up in a ponytail and her eyes were golden and cat-like. She wore a black skin tight turtleneck undershirt under an orange top that had white bands on the shoulders and the sleeves went down to her elbows. She also wore black skin tight pants with light weight light brown shoes and white shin guards.

"Yoruichi." Ichigo said with slight surprise.

"Yoruichi Shihôin." Byakuya stated, sheathing his sword. "It's been a long time. Over a century. I thought you were dead."

"Yoruichi, thanks for coming to help," Ichigo stated as he fell back into a fighting stance. "But I want you to stay out of this. I have to beat him."

"You? Beat him?" she asked. "Don't be a fool." With that she quickly turned around and stuck her hand into his gut, making him pass out. Adjusting him on her shoulder, she made to turn and leave, but Byakuya was having none of that.

"So that was medicine." Ukitake stated with concern. "Do you intend to heal him?"

"Is that what you wish?" the captain of squad six asked while stepping in her way. "I shall not allow it. You will not escape."

Yoruichi just smirked and asked him, "Do you consider me your equal? Have you even beaten me in a game of tag?"

"Shall we have a go?" Byakuya asked shortly before the two used shun-po to disappear.

And so the game of tag commenced. Yoruichi appeared at one spot of the bridge and Byakuya came up soon after. He swung his zanpaku-tô at her but she used flash step to dodge. She appeared again at one end of the bridge, smirking, but Byakuya followed soon after.

"Did you think you could escape me with a flash step like that?" he asked with malice before cutting her down. She seemed to be defeated, but the image became a piece of cloth cut in two and the real Yoruichi appeared on the captain's shoulder.

She smirked as she asked a shocked Byakuya, "Do you think you can stop me with that kind of shun-po?" Before he could do anything else, she used her flash step to go to higher ground before declaring that she would make Ichigo stronger than Byakuya in three days. And with that, she disappeared from sight.

Byakuya relaxed a little now that the fight was over and sheathed his zanpaku-tô. "So they're gone." He stated before quickly turning and leaving.

"Wait Byakuya," Ukitake shouted out as he saw the captain leave. "What am I supposed to do with these people?"

The captain of squad six paused a moment before answering, "I've lost interest in them. Do what you want. And as for Tsuki-san, put her in the cell with the ryoka." He then left in a hurry while Ukitake scratched his head with a frown as he looked at the mess that was left for him to fix...


	8. Imprisoned on Execution Day

"Tsuyoi-ai? If you're here, what should I do?" Tsuki asked into the darkness of her subconscious. "Tsuyoi-ai!" Suddenly Tsuki woke up with a start and looked around in a daze.

"Where am I?" she asked no one in particular as she gazed at her surroundings.

There were three beds, one of them she was sleeping in and there was also a chair. The room was pretty small, bare, and gloomy with only one window which had bars on it.

"Yo Tsuki, you're awake!" a burly man with bandages wrapped all over his face and body said with excitement and relief.

"Ganju…?" she said, still in a daze. "What happened to me?" – visions of her fight with Byakuya came into her mind and sadness filled her eyes. "Oh….that's right. I fought Captain Kuchiki on that bridge and fainted afterwards."

"I owe you one for saving me too, Tsuki." He continued. "And an apology. I thought I couldn't trust you before because I thought you were a spy."

"How awful of you Ganju." A nasal voice stated importantly from across the room. "That's not the right way to think of a young lady like her."

Tsuki looked over to the source of the voice to find a couple of males – one of them sitting on the bed closest to the floor and the other sitting in the chair. The one who spoke was most likely the male who was slender and tall. He had black hair that was long in the front and parted in the middle, framing his face while the back was short. He had dark blue colored eyes which hid behind rectangle shaped glasses.

The male next to him was dark-skinned, tall, and muscular and wore white robes – they all did. He had wavy dark brown hair that slightly covered his olive colored eyes.

"Who are you?" she asked them with a curious look on her face.

"Chad." The dark-skinned male stated simply in a deep voice.

"And I'm Uryû Ishida," the slender black haired male answered in a show offy voice as he pushed up his glasses. "The Last Quincy."

"You're a Quincy?!" Tsuki continued with surprise as she leaned in close with interest. She then examined him and sat normally back on the bed with a slight disappointed look on her face as she continued. "It must have been hard to say what you said earlier. You must hate me for what we did you your kind."

"Of course I do." Uryû replied with scorn and sadness while looking away.

"Then you had no right to say what you said when you think of every soul reaper like that." Ganju stated with a teasing grin.

Uryû glared at him in response and Tsuki continued, "There's no changing what happened in the past. What's done is done." – she gazed at Uryû with an apologetic expression – "And I know what it's like to lose the people you love and I'm deeply sorry."

"Now you've got the lady saying sorry to you." Ganju commented.

"You don't have to apologize." Uryû said quickly, and then looked down at his hands. "I've already met the mind behind the cruel acts against the quincies. He got away before I could finish him off…"

"You almost beat Captain Kurotsuchi?" Tsuki asked with wonder and amazement. "Wow, you ryoka are tougher than I thought. Then again if Ichigo is as tough as he is it is only natural that you guys would be as strong or you wouldn't even last a minute here. Guess Captain Kurotsuchi had it coming." She then shrugged and Ganju gave her a curious look.

"Who is your captain anyway, Tsuki?" he asked her.

"Oh, I thought you put two and two together earlier when I couldn't go out instead of Hana-kun." she replied. "My captain is Byakuya Kuchiki."

"That man that came with the red head to take Rukia away?" Uryû asked with slight surprise and anger.

"He's ruthless to those that disobey him and the law!" Ganju exclaimed. "What are you doing in a division like that?! He could've killed you if he wanted!"

"I know he could've, but he….didn't." she said with sadness. "I've been in the sixth division since I graduated from the Spiritual Arts Academy. Byakuya's grandfather was captain then, and I've never changed. I guess it runs in the family that they can deal with the fact that I follow my heart and not my mind." She then gave a smile. For a while it was silent until Tsuki asked, "So what do you think is going to happen to us after all this?"

"If Ichigo doesn't make it, then we'll probably be executed too." Uryû theorized seriously and Chad agreed. "I don't know what they'll do with you. You're under your captain's jurisdiction, so it's his choice."

"But Ichigo will make it, won't he?" Ganju stated.

"I guess we'll have to wait and see." Tsuki answered as everyone then fell silent. The waiting game had started…

"Geez I'm bored…." Tsuki commented many hours later as she paced back and forth anxiously. She stopped for a moment and looked out the only barred window in the room before continuing. "Each minute we stay in here the closer it gets to Rukia's execution." – she clenched her fists – "I want to get out of here. To stop this and make everything normal again…."

"You and us both." Ganju agreed from his seat on the floor.

Chad nodded from his seat in the chair. He didn't seem to talk much and Uryû had been silent for quite some time. He appeared to be upset about something but didn't seem to want to talk about it. Suddenly a white butterfly flew in through the bars of the window and fluttered around while Uryû watched it.

"Oh, Look, it's a white cabbage butterfly." He commented in a happy daze as the winged creature flew around him. "It must be spring here in the soul society."

The rest sweat dropped at his behavior and Ganju said that he probably lost his mind and told the quincy to go chase it if he liked it so much. Then they both began to argue over it, but Tsuki's attention was on something else; an approaching captain's spiritual pressure.

Apparently Chad felt something too, because he shushed for Uryû and Ganju to stop their argument and told them to listen. Everybody went quiet and soon after they heard a rumbling and shouts. A second after the noises stopped, the ceiling of the room caved in and fell. Dust covered the room and concealed whoever came down, but Tsuki knew exactly who it was. Someone stepped out and Ganju was the first to utter their "rescuer's" name.

"I-It's Captain Kenpachi Zaraki!" he exclaimed while the dust settled and they saw the others of his division with him. "And that bowl cut narcissist is here too!"

They went off into a small argument but it was stopped as a young lady popped up from behind the captain's left shoulder. She had long orange brown hair and brown colored eyes. She also wore a shihakushô, but Tsuki didn't recognize her. Was she a rookie?

"Orihime!" Uryû shouted out with surprise.

"Hey everyone! It's good to see you're all okay!" she said with a big smile on her face. She noticed Tsuki and asked, "Who is this? She didn't break in to the soul society with us."

"Kishin, what are you doing here?" Kenpachi asked with slight surprise and his subordinates were equally surprised to see her there too. She looked away forlornly and said nothing, but Kenpachi got the memo. "I see. Had trouble with your captain again?"

Tsuki finally looked up to him with a curious expression on her face. "What are you doing here, Captain Kenpachi?" she asked, concerned.

He smirked and his lieutenant popped up from behind his other shoulder. "Kenny has decided to help Ichigo, Tsuki-chan!" she answered cheerfully. "We came to break you out!"

For the first time in a while, a fire was lit in her eyes and she smiled with a determined look and told them, "Then what are we waiting for? We have an execution to stop." Everyone else smiled in turn and they all left to go put into action their plan.

Once Tsuki, Uryû, Chad and Ganju were dressed in shihakushôs, everyone continued on to find their way to Sokyoku Hill through the endless streets of soul society. Finally they arrived at….a dead end. They stepped into the clearing and Ikkaku commented on how he didn't want the lieutenant to lead because of her bad sense of direction. While they were fighting, four different spiritual pressures appeared. Two were captains and two were vice captains.

Tsuki and the others looked up to see Captain Komamura with his vice-captain, Iba and Captain Kaname with his vice-captain, Hisagi. She gulped and looked at them with worry. Sure they could take them, but she knew that the ryoka possibly couldn't fight captains again, let alone the four that stood before them. She gave a sidelong gaze at Kenpachi and saw that he was smirking. Obviously he had a plan.

He told the interlopers that he would fight them on his own. Tsuki looked on in shock. He can't take them all by himself! But apparently he believed he could. He stepped out to face them alone and Yachiru got the message. She turned to her captain and told him that they would go on and look for Ichigo.

"I'll catch up later." He replied as he prepared himself for battle.

Yachiru turned to leave and told the rest to follow, so they left. As they ran on, Ikkaku and Yumichika fell behind and turned around to help their captain. Tsuki only kept her mind on the task ahead, knowing that the three of them would be just fine.

As the seven of them came closer to Sokyoku Hill, a rumbling was heard. They all looked up to see something happening atop the hill.

"Is it starting?" Yachiru wondered as Tsuki was just thinking the same thing.

'_Oh please don't let it happen…'_ she pleaded in her mind while Uryû told them that they must hurry.

"I'll go on ahead." The cheerful lieutenant told them seriously. "If Itchy's there, he'll need help."

"I'll go too." Tsuki said and Yachiru gave her a smile.

Orihime thanked them and Yachiru continued, "We'll take care of the tough guys as we go. You can take care of the rest!" And with that she shot forward with unthinkable speed.

Tsuki turned to look at them and stated, "See you there. Be careful!" She waved before using flash step to make her way to the top of the hill.

'_Please, Ichigo. You're cutting it close,'_ she thought with concern. _'But please, make a stop to it, because none of us can. It has to be you._'

* * *

**Omake**

"**Geez I'm bored…." Tsuki commented many hours later as she paced back and forth anxiously.**

"**You and us both." Ganju agreed from his seat on the floor.**

**Chad nodded from his seat in the chair and Uryû sat silently on the bed.**

**Suddenly Tsuki had an idea as she pulled a pack of cards from within her robes and said, "Hey, you guys up for a card game?"**

**Later, the ceiling caved in and Kenpachi along with his subordinates and Orihime dropped down to find Tsuki and the males playing a game of Old Maid.**

"**Hey, you wanna join in?" Tsuki asked as they looked on blankly. "The more the merrier!"**

* * *

**Just a little idea I had after I had originally written this chapter and posted it. Thought I would share it with you guys instead of keeping it to myself.**


	9. Ichigo VS Byakuya

Tsuki arrived not too far away from where Yachiru was watching the scene unfold and hid behind a nearby tree, doing the same. She'd come just as Rukia was being lifted up to the rafters for her execution. She looked on in horror and anger as Byakuya did nothing to stop this. Fire spiraled from the tip of the spear and it leaned toward Rukia and began taking shape. The shape it took was of a large fire bird and its target was Rukia.

The creature started to approach Rukia and Tsuki thought to herself, _'No! Ichigo's too late!'_

But as she watched on, the bird suddenly stopped and a figure was standing before the fire creature, holding it back.

"Who is that?" she asked herself, but felt the spiritual pressure and had no doubt. "Is that…Ichigo?!" She smiled inside, sensing that he had gotten stronger but was also worried. Tsuki was sure that Byakuya was going to try and stop him, to prevent Ichigo from saving Rukia. But she hoped that Ichigo was strong enough to fully take Byakuya on.

Soon after Ukitake arrived with his subordinates and Shunsui, restraining the fiery creature with an instrument from the Shihôin family. Something must have happened because the bird exploded into many fiery pieces. Tsuki watched on as Ichigo broke the rafters and retrieved Rukia. Just then Renji also ran up, bandaged as if he had been in a fight. Tsuki then saw Ichigo raise Rukia above his head with a smirk on his face.

'_What is he doing?!'_ she thought to herself as she continued to keep her eye on the orange haired soul reaper.

Ichigo then took aim and launched her towards Renji, Rukia screaming all the way. Tsuki held her breath all through it but was relieved that Renji caught her. He ran off with her and Tsuki knew that this wasn't over. Sure Rukia's execution was stopped, but Ichigo still had to fight off the captains and vice-captains on the ground.

And a great opportunity arose, because a few of the vice-captains that were present for the execution were chasing after Renji to retrieve Rukia. But Ichigo was one step ahead. He used flash step to appear in front of the three to keep them from capturing the two escaping. Immediately, the three vice-captains began to attack, but Ichigo defeated them without his sword before the vice-captains could do any damage to him.

'_He has gotten strong….'_ Tsuki thought with amazement as the orange haired soul reaper then blocked Byakuya's sneaky attack with his zanpaku-tô. _'I hope he is able to do what I couldn't…' _Tsuki had her eyes glued to Byakuya and Ichigo that she didn't notice Soi Fon taken away by Yoruichi and Ukitake, Shunsui, and the head captain go off to a secluded place.

"Please, win….Ichigo." Tsuki muttered with hope while she continued to watch their battle unfold.

Sounds of metal hitting metal filled the air and the ground cracked and broke multiple times from the force of the battle. For a moment they stopped and Tsuki heard Ichigo demand that Byakuya show him his bankai. She knew that he wouldn't use it so quickly unless the opponent was a challenge. He did, however, use his shikai and in response, Ichigo released a shot of light blue energy, stopping Byakuya's attack and hurting his hand in the process.

The two spoke a little more and Byakuya was persuaded to use his bankai. He dropped his zanpaku-tô and it sunk into the ground. As he spoke the incantation, two rows of swords lifted up from the ground on either side of Byakuya and they broke into tiny shards of metal, flying like cherry blossom petals in the wind.

"Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!" Tsuki said to herself as she gripped to the tree near to her. "Byakuya means business now! Ichigo, I hope you're ready for this…"

Immediately, Byakuya attacked Ichigo, but he jumped up to dodge the attack and attacked his enemy with his Getsuga Tenshô. Byakuya deflected with the thousand blades without lifting even a finger. He then trapped the orange haired soul reaper and forced him to the ground, wounding him in the process, causing a crater to appear with Ichigo in the middle of it. Tsuki couldn't see what had happened to Ichigo, but suddenly she felt an immense spiritual pressure from where he was. Dust rose and spun around as he used bankai.

When the dust settled, there stood Ichigo in slightly different garments. His top was a little slimmer fitting and was long, ending at his knees with a jagged edge and had a blood red colored underside. His zanpaku-tô had taken a different shape too. It was the same length, but looked just like any other zanpaku-tô before shikai and it was pure black with a black chain hanging off the hilt.

Soon after Byakuya was attacking again, but in the blink of an eye, Ichigo was right next to him, holding his sword to the captain's neck. The orange haired soul reaper then withdrew his zanpaku-tô from the captain's neck and stepped away.

For a few moments more they spoke and then Byakuya was on the offensive. Ichigo just used his speed to dodge and attack but when he did; the captain would switch to defend himself. In every minute that passed, Ichigo seemed to be getting faster. Tsuki was getting a headache from trying to keep track of him. When it seemed as if Byakuya would catch him, it would fail. Ichigo just kept getting faster and faster.

Finally, Byakuya resorted to using his hand to direct Senbonzakura, making it faster. He tried a couple more times but Ichigo dodged the first and it seemed as if the second attack would get him, but the young soul reaper batted the shards away like they were nothing. In the blink of an eye the orange haired shinigami appeared behind Byakuya and made an attempt to wound the captain.

The attack was too fast to discern and when the act was done, Tsuki saw that Byakuya must have turned around at the last moment and caught the zanpaku-tô in his hand. She watched as they exchanged words once more. She couldn't hear them, but she understood that her captain must have found out how Ichigo's bankai worked.

Tsuki could tell he was angry, because he shouted with the same tone, "….destroy that power of yours and you along with it!"

She knew he was serious and marveled at the fact that she had never seen her captain so angry before. Tsuki watched on with worry as the small blades began to change and morph into many swords around the two battling.

'_Senkei?!'_ she thought to herself while Byakuya took one of the swords in hand and they began to duel.

At their first encounter, the ground blew up and dust flew from the force of the two spiritual pressures clashing. Tsuki trembled from the sheer pressure and hoped that Ichigo would pull through this. The two clashed a few more times and Ichigo began to slow down. A couple times, he came close to being finished off, but he managed to dodge and defend himself in the last moment.

When Byakuya had his enemy cornered, he took another of the swords in his free hand and pierced Ichigo's foot to keep him in place. While the orange haired soul reaper looked on in horror, the captain used a kido spell – Byakurai – and the blue light from the spell shot straight through Ichigo's chest. He bent over in defeat and Byakuya was standing over him, ready to strike a final time. Tsuki closed her eyes. She couldn't watch.

Silence followed, and a change in the atmosphere made Tsuki slowly open her eyes to see what was going on. Ichigo caught the sword, but something was different about him. He had half of a hollow's mask on his face, his eyes were yellow and black, and he had a malicious grin on his face. This most certainly was not Ichigo.

He slashed at Byakuya and backed away laughing evilly. Tsuki watched in horror as her captain stood in shock while the hollowed Ichigo attacked again with a black Getsuga. Before Byakuya could dodge out of the way, his enemy moved quickly and shot another Getsuga, then moved again behind the captain and held him in place. The two attacks hit Byakuya, leaving him exhausted with three of his kenseikan broken.

Suddenly the real Ichigo grabbed ahold of the mask and pulled it away with some difficulty. He apologized for the interruption and faced his opponent once more.

'_What was that?'_ Tsuki asked herself while the two exchanged words. _'It looked like…a hollow mask.' _She went deep into thought and when she couldn't find an answer, she looked back up.

By this time, her captain had activated his final attack with the rest of his power. "That's…" she said with shock while looking at the white wings that had extended from his zanpaku-tô. "Shûkei Hakuteiken! Byakuya rarely uses this attack!"

She looked over to Ichigo, who had been doing the same thing. He was using all of his power to release another more powerful Getsuga Tenshô. The two ran forward for one final encounter and as they did, a big explosion of black and white energy filled the air for all of the Soul Society to see.

When the dust had cleared, Tsuki looked up from shielding herself from the dust and saw the two facing away from each other. A wound on Ichigo's shoulder appeared and he begun to fall forward but he used his zanpaku-tô to keep from hitting the ground. She looked over to Byakuya to see a wound appear on his shoulder too.

"A draw?" Tsuki asked herself with wonder. The two had a final conversation and she started to move out into the open to go see her captain, but he used flash step to leave.

Ichigo yelled out in victory before falling back onto Orihime's head and the rest of the ryoka followed her to go congratulate the orange haired soul reaper. Tsuki stayed where she was, smiling sadly as she watched them.

"Good job, Ichigo." She said happily. "The battle is finally…over."

* * *

**Just a little tidbit of information for you:**

**While I was writing the original, I honestly thought that I would have to break the chapter in half and just submit both of the chapters together. But I looked at the chapter and decided to just keep it the way it was. And that's how this chapter ended up as one instead of two.**


	10. Betrayals and Sacrifices

The ryoka then left, rejoicing in their victory. Tsuki wanted to leave the hill too, but she didn't know where to go. She could've returned to her division or her quarters, but that meant she might come into contact with Byakuya. And that would be bad, considering he had sent her to the cell and she had broken out.

So she stayed right where she was, sitting down on the ground and thinking about the past few days. Suddenly after an hour or so, she felt several spiritual pressures behind her, including Renji's and Rukia's. So Tsuki looked around her cover slowly to see Captain Aizen, Captain Ichimaru, and Captain Kaname standing before Renji and Rukia.

'_What are they doing?'_ she asked herself, watching them.

Suddenly she heard vice-captain Isane's voice in her head telling her and possibly all of soul society the truth of what's been happening over the past week. Once she was done, Tsuki bent over with shock on her face, which turned to realization as her gaze turned to the brown haired glasses wearing captain.

'_Aizen you-.'_ she thought, watching as he drew his sword and slashed at Renji, who defended himself. Rukia was his only concern, and he protected her, getting a cut along his arm in the process. Aizen spoke to him and Tsuki couldn't quite hear it, but she knew that the captain enraged Renji, because he used his shikai and attacked with all his might after jumping into the air.

The captain he was attacking didn't even bat an eyelid as he blocked the attack with his zanpaku-tô effortlessly. Renji gritted his teeth as he landed on the ground and charged again. Aizen just held out his hand and caught the zanpaku-tô with his bare hand. The red head was shocked and so was Tsuki as the captain then broke the zanpaku-tô in pieces with one swipe of his zanpaku-tô and wounded Renji in the process.

He was about to finish the vice-captain off when Tsuki shouted out "No!" while running out blindly. She was going to protect him somehow, but someone beat her to it. She looked up to see….

"Ichigo!" she exclaimed with happiness and relief and backed away a little. The orange haired soul reaper just smirked and remarked about Rukia being too heavy for Renji and having to come help.

Aizen just smirked and pulled his sword away, turning his gaze to Tsuki. "Kishin, I thought you were thrown in jail." He said calmly, making shivers go up and down her spine. "You should have been a good girl and stayed there. Meddlers like you should be gotten rid of. Whether it's just one or an army, it makes no difference."

She wanted to ask him what happened to her fiancé, but Renji and Ichigo had begun to plan their attack after telling her to back away.

She did so and Renji used his Higa Zekkô to make all the pieces of the zanpaku-tô rise and descend upon its prey. When they fell upon Aizen, it was Ichigo's turn. He immediately ran forward and was ready to strike down his enemy – the real enemy – but the captain was one step ahead.

He caught Ichigo's sword with just one finger and asked Tsuki, "Would you like to know what happened to your beloved Kioku?" Her eyes widened with fear and Aizen turned to the orange haired soul reaper once more. He grabbed on to the zanpaku-tô with his finger and slashed Ichigo in half. The fact that that happened to her fiancé shocked her. She kneeled down with horror on her face, her eyes blank and Aizen attacked Renji once more.

With the three of them unable to stop him, he walked over to Rukia, who was greatly affected by his immense spiritual pressure. He grabbed her by the red collar around her neck, telling her to get up. By now she was standing with Aizen's help and he looked over to Ichigo, seeing that he was trying to get back up. The captain only smiled and said that it was no use to try.

He then went to tell the orange haired soul reaper his plan from the beginning. He told him that with the arrival of the ryoka, not one person would be suspicious of anything other than the ryoka. That made it easier to sneak around and do what he had planned to do. He then went on to talk about hollowfication and how achieving this would make one stronger. He finished by saying that Urahara made a device solely made for starting hollowfication and that it was hidden within Rukia's soul.

Tsuki was then awakened from her daze as a huge man with a wolf's head and the captain's haori for squad seven jumped down behind Aizen. "Captain…Komamura…?" she said with curiosity, watching as the captain brought down his sword to attack Aizen.

But once again, the glasses wearing captain stopped the blade with his hand. "It's been a while since I've seen your face." He said, holding the sword in place. "What made you change?"

"How could you grin like that Aizen?!" the wolf head captain asked angrily, punching Aizen, who jumped back to dodge the attack. "You've betrayed us all! And you'll pay!" – his gaze turned to Kaname – "And you will too, Tosen! Will you explain yourself…or won't you?" When he saw that the blind captain had no answer, he started to use bankai, but Aizen used a kido spell to hurt him.

"Captain Komamura!" Tsuki shouted out as he fell to the ground, fatally wounded.

Aizen then went on with his explanation as he took hold of Rukia again. He told everyone that he eliminated Central forty six and issued orders as if he was them. So he was behind ordering Rukia's execution! He then said that he faked his own death so he could hide and send out orders freely.

As he finished, he took out a special tube and it opened and formed a glove and bars around the two so no one could interfere. He proceeded to lift Rukia up and slipped his hand into her chest and removed a small object. "So this is the Hôgyoku." He stated with wonder.

Rukia fell to the ground, shock on her face and the wound in her chest healed quickly. Aizen marveled at this, but he needed her no longer. He picked her up once again and ordered Gin to finish her off. Gin obliged, and proceeded to use his shikai to attack.

To Tsuki, the next few seconds felt like hours. Time seemed to slow down and she watched in horror as the tip of the blade slowly extended toward Rukia. She saw Byakuya snatch her away, ready to take the hit for her, and didn't want him to get hurt anymore. She wanted to protect the both of them. So at the absolute last moment, she moved forward quickly to catch the blade with her body to protect the brother and sister.

Tsuki groaned in pain from the sword wound in her stomach and her hands which held the blade from going any farther past her. But she knew it was worth it, because she was protecting those dear to her. Rukia was surprised. She looked up to her brother, who had suddenly appeared to catch the blade and then her gaze went to Tsuki, who she had barely known and yet she was risking her life to protect them.

"Tsuki…" she said to the soul reaper before her. "Why?"

She just looked behind herself to the both of them and grinned while Gin brought his zanpaku-tô back. "Better me…than either of you." She replied weakly.

She then collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Then it was Byakuya's turn. He kneeled down out of exhaustion. Aizen then approached, his hand on the hilt of his zanpaku-tô and Rukia subconsciously protected her brother, looking up at the captain with horror.

But before he could do them in, Yoruichi and Soi Fon restrained him. They told him that if he moves the tiniest bit, that he would lose his head. Aizen just continued smiling and the earth shook as three of the gate keepers appeared at the base of the hill, their towering figures looming over those who stood on the hill top. They were not present to help though. Aizen had persuaded them to join his side.

"What will you do now?" he asked the two keeping him bound. "Surely you can't fight them while holding me here."

Suddenly a shout was heard from above and Jindanbô, the fourth gate keeper, landed in front of his fellow guards with a female figure on his shoulder. Yoruichi smiled and looked down to her friend, saying her name, "Kûkaku!"

"I was bored so I decided to come watch the fun." She said in response before using a kido spell to knock one of them out. Jindanbô used his fists to send the others to sleep.

While Gin was overseeing the battle, Matsumoto captured him, holding her blade to his neck.

"It's over." Yoruichi told Aizen sternly. "You're surrounded." Many of the captains and the assistant captains appeared all standing before Aizen and his accomplices.

Aizen just smirked his usual smirk and a beam of light appeared around him after Soi Fon and Yoruichi dodged it. The beam reached up to the sky where an odd dark hole opened up. Many Menos came up to the opening and all had their eyes on them, wondering if they would attack or not. The same beam came down upon Kaname and Gin and they began to ascend into the dark hole.

As they rose high above the others, Aizen removed his glasses, slicked back his hair, leaving a tiny strand loose, and left all soul reapers on the hill with these words, "No one has stood above the heavens before. Not me. Not you. Not even the gods. But heaven's throne with no longer be vacant._**I will stand at the top**_."

And with that, the three captains who betrayed soul society disappeared into the darkness that led to Hueco Mundo.

* * *

**Woot! Ten chapters done and dusted! And the mistakes I've made so far aren't too bad, so that's good.**


	11. Back into the Fold

A couple weeks passed and the Seireitei was more or less back to normal. Many of the buildings were repaired and some were still in the process of being rebuilt. All casualties were taken care of. Some were still healing, whether it was from physical or mental injuries.

The soul reaper named Ichigo, who came to save Rukia and was dropped of all charges, left for his own world a week ago. He was dubbed the substitute soul reaper and was given a pass so other shinigami would know who he was.

But enough about him. This chapter starts with Renji, who is currently scouring the streets of the Seireitei for a certain third seat officer who was due to be released from her time at fourth division.

"Where is that woman?" the red headed assistant captain shouted angrily as he stomped about the streets.

He continued to walk around, looking for Tsuki, but found her nowhere. It was time to move on to a new location. Continuing on, he remembered that morning when his captain told him to look for her…

"Tsuki-san is due to be released from the relief station at fourth division." Byakuya told Renji earlier that morning as he went through the paperwork on his desk. "I would like to talk with her. Would you escort her here?"

Even though he asked it, it sounded more like an order, so Renji had to obey. Without another word, he left the office to head over to fourth division…

A little later, Renji arrived in an empty room at the fourth division. The bed was made and there was no Tsuki to be seen. Suddenly he heard a female voice behind him and looked back to see a four foot eight tall blonde with two different colored eyes – one was blue and one was purple. She wore the pink nurse's uniform and held a note pad.

"Oh, vice-captain Renji." She said with slight surprise. "Tsuki-chan just left. You just missed her actually."

"Really?" he said with disappointment as he scratched the back of his head. "Did anyone come to pick her up?"

"Actually, yes." The nurse answered after some thought. "She left with Matsumoto-chan. I don't know where they went to…"

After sighing, Renji turned to leave. "Thanks for letting me know." He said as he waved goodbye. He then left to go start his search.

Back to the present, the assistant captain of sixth division continued to look around in a new location. Just when he was about to quit and tell his captain that he couldn't find Tsuki, someone called out to him, "Yoo hoo, Renji!"

He looked around for the source of the voice and found it. It was Matsumoto, hanging out of the window of a building nearby. She waved to him, continuing, "Wanna have a drink?"

He walked right over to her and as soon as he was within earshot of her, he asked, "Where's Tsuki? I heard you picked her up from the fourth division."

"Oh she's right here." Matsumoto replied, pointing to a seat across from her at the table.

He looked in through the window to see Tsuki, leaning over, her head resting on the surface. "What did you do to her?!" he shouted with worry.

"Don't get angry!" Matsumoto stated with a pout. "She said she wanted to go anywhere but the sixth division when I came to see her, so we came here to get a drink. She had one after another and ended up like this."

Renji sighed and entered the building. "At any rate, I need to take her to sixth division." He stated as he moved towards Tsuki. "The captain wants to talk with her." He made to grab her, but she shifted away and sat back into the chair, giving a mean look to him.

"Leave me alone Renji." She said drowsily with narrowed eyes at him. "I…don't want to go… And you can't make me."

"You know he won't take no for an answer." The red head stated firmly with a frown. "Now come on!" He continued to grab for her, but she managed to dodge away from his attempts. In his final attempt, he grabbed her around the waist and hefted her over his shoulder.

"No!" Tsuki protested, punching and kicking at him, but he never let go. "Let me go!"

He turned to leave the room. "Keep in mind that she is drunk!" Matsumoto warned him as he kept going.

"The captain wants to see her, whether she is or not." Renji replied, leaving the building and heading over to the sixth division with a kicking and screaming Tsuki over his shoulder.

"What is all that racket?" Byakuya asked as Renji entered the office with a tired but still kicking Tsuki.

"She didn't want to come see you," the red head replied, setting her down and turning her around. "So I picked her up and brought her here for you. It wasn't easy you know…"

His captain raised an eyebrow, intrigued at Tsuki's features. Her hair wasn't up in its usual ponytail and it was a little messed up. She wore a simple blue kimono that ended slightly below her knees and was tied at the waist with a darker blue sash.

"You didn't have to drag me over here, Renji!" She stated with an annoyed tone as she fixed her hair. "I would have come here…in my own time." She then crossed her arms and was going to look away, until Byakuya caught her eye.

Suddenly her face brightened and a blushing smile appeared. "Bya-kun!" she said, happy and drunk (again) while she walked up to her captain's desk. "Bya-kun, I loooove you!"

Renji's eyes practically popped out of his head as he blushed whereas the one she was talking to just continued on working. "I don't think you know what you're saying, Tsuki-san." He told her indifferently.

"Of course I do!" she shouted with anger, slamming her hands on the desk top. "I love you Bya-kun, and I'll prove it to you!" She then planted her foot on Byakuya's desk, attempting to somehow climb over all the paperwork on it to her captain.

"Now, now, no need to get so crazy." Renji told her while grabbing her waist. Suddenly she keeled over, unconscious and the red head was confused and shocked.

"Whoa! What did I do?!" he asked, checking to see if she was okay.

"Apparently you've grabbed her by her tender area." Byakuya replied. "I've seen this once before when she got this way." – he stood up and moved around the desk towards Tsuki – "Don't worry; I'll take care of her. Return to your work."

Renji turned around and headed for the door, but Byakuya called his name. He faced his captain and saw he was giving a menacing glare and his captain ordered, "Any word of this, and you'll find yourself in your worst nightmare. Understood?"

The red head nodded nervously and quickly left the office.

A couple hours later, Tsuki woke up and sat up in one of the couches, not knowing exactly where she was. Before looking around, she thought to herself, _'What an odd dream I had…'_

When she did look around, she found herself in Byakuya's office, though he currently wasn't in. "How did I get here?" she asked aloud, standing up. After pondering a little, she continued, "At any rate, I don't want to stay here…"

She made to leave, but before she could reach the door, Byakuya opened it and entered in. "So you're awake." He said to her, and she backed up and sat back down on the couch. Too late to escape now…

"Are you okay now?" he asked her as he took a seat too.

"Oh…Uh…Yes much better." Tsuki answered hesitantly while looking down at her lap. "How is everyone else?"

"Some are still recovering and Ichigo and his friends have already left back to the world of the living." Byakuya told her. "The girl healed you before they left, since you helped them out."

"Did Rukia leave with them?" she asked further with concern.

"No." he replied, seeming quite pleased. "She has decided to stay here."

"I'm glad…" she said with a relieved smile. "And what about Aizen and the others?"

"They've retreated to Hueco Mundo. We're keeping our guard up in case they strike again but we assume it will take some time before they strike." He stated with importance.

"We've got a war coming then." Tsuki stated sadly. After a long pause of silence, she looked up, worry evident on her face. "What about….What about Kioku? Did they find him?"

This was the question Byakuya had been hoping that she wouldn't ask, but she had popped it anyway. "Captain Hitsugaya found him in the chambers under central forty six." He replied while watching Tsuki's face brighten up. He didn't want to lower her spirits, but he had to tell her the whole truth. "He was found dead, by Aizen's hand. We looked for the body after Aizen left but it was no longer there." Her smile turned to a frown and she lowered her head a bit.

After a while she asked him, "Have you informed his family yet?"

"No." Byakuya answered. "I have decided leave it to you to inform them."

Tsuki nodded, and knew that she couldn't bring herself to tell them. She had also assumed Aizen must have brought the body with him to Hueco Mundo, so she decided to find out all she could about Kioku's status there and tell his family the bad news when she found out what really happened.

That meant no matter what, she had to venture out to Hueco Mundo. An item being handed to her brought her up from her deep thoughts and she looked up, seeing her zanpaku-tô in its sheath. She took it giving her thanks and hugged it, relieved to have Tsuyoi-ai back. Suddenly realization flashed across her face as she looked up to her captain with a look of shock.

"Wait." She said to him. "I thought I was going to be discharged for disobeying you."

"I understood the reasons for your actions and decided to let it slide." Her captain stated, using his reason rather than Rukia's (she wanted Tsuki to stay in the ranks). "As long as you promise to obey my orders from now on." He said this last sentence sternly, and she took it seriously.

Finally she stood up and bowed respectfully to her captain, saying, "I am deeply sorry for disobeying you captain." – she rose – "And to make it up to you, I'll go help Renji with the paperwork."

With that she left the office, Byakuya watching her leave with a look of concern on his face…

* * *

**That's it for today, but I have a treat for you on Thursday! Since I'll be away from this Friday to next Monday, so I'll be posting four chapters on Thursday! I hope you look forward to it!**


	12. Memory of a Valentine's Day Long Ago

It was a day off for Tsuki and what was she doing? She was in the garden, cleaning up her parents' grave. What crossed her mind as she cleaned was why her captain gave her a day off in the first place.

Well she shouldn't question her captain's decisions, so here she was. She stood up and stretched as she examined her work. It took her all morning, but now she was finally done. After she had put everything away, her grandfather called out through the house.

"Tsuki, you have a visitor." He called and she answered almost immediately, "Could you have them meet me in the living room? I need to get changed." She didn't hear him reply, but she knew that he heard her so she went to her room to change into a more presentable light blue kimono.

When she arrived into the room, Tsuki saw Kioku's sister, Natsuki Shimazaki who looked after her in forth division.

"If I knew that you were visiting, I would have dressed differently." She told her, walking up to the low table and sitting at it. Tea and snacks were ready to be served on the table and her blond friend smiled in greeting.

She said in response, "Oh I don't mind. You look pretty." – her smile went bittersweet – "I'll bet you were expecting Kioku."

"Ever since he went missing, my mind hasn't been with me all the time…." Tsuki commented downheartedly. Natsuki nodded in agreement and Tsuki sighed. This conversation wasn't going anywhere.

Finally, Natsuki spoke, "Hey do you remember the day the two of you met?" Of course she did; she never forgot it once….

It was Valentine's day quite a few years ago, and Tsuki had nothing at all to do. She didn't feel like drawing in her notebook, or strolling through the gardens. Her best friend Hisana wasn't feeling too well today and couldn't visit and she didn't want to set foot in the Kuchiki manor for she feared an awkward moment with Byakuya.

So here she was, doing nothing at all but watching the day pass outside. Suddenly a maid came in through the door and informed her that she had some visitors. Quite surprised that she had visitors on a day like this, she told the maid to direct them to her. The maid bowed and left the room while Tsuki pondered about her visitors. It couldn't possibly be Hisana, or Byakuya for that matter (he had been avoiding her since his marriage and so had she). Today was a special day and she knew the couple would possibly spend it together.

A complement from a small girl brought her from her thoughts. "Wow! Big brother you are right!" Tsuki heard her say with wonder. "She is beautiful!"

She looked up, seeing the small girl who complemented her, with who she called her big brother. The two certainly looked like siblings, and both had relatively similar colored eyes; one eye was a purple color, the other a blue color. Their hair colors were different though. The girl's hair color was blond and it was very long and she wore a simple purple kimono. The young man's hair color was light brown and he wore a shihakushô.

"Natsuki!" he said, embarrassed as a blush arose on his cheeks. He looked at Tsuki with an apologetic smile and continued, "I'm sorry about my little sister. She can be a little overzealous…."

"Oh, um, it's okay." Tsuki stated politely with a smile. "Would you like to sit down?"

The two did so and no one spoke for a few minutes. That is until Kioku asked, "You really don't remember me, do you?"

"I'm sorry but I don't quite remember. Who are you?" Tsuki replied as politely as she could.

"Ah, I see." The man said while scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "I guess that battle with Kuchiki-san at the soul reaper academy really didn't impress you…."

"Wait a minute…." She stated with surprise. "You're the one who challenged Byakuya-kun to a duel and failed completely?"

"So you do remember?" he said, hope in his eyes.

Natsuki took this as an opportunity to speak, "Kioku-nii was really hoping that you'd remember him! He really likes you! He even wants to take you out-." She was cut off by her brother putting his hand over her mouth and shushing her.

"Sorry." He said with a smile while his little sister pulled his hand away.

Tsuki just looked on with a questioning look on her face. "So what brings you here?" she asked after a while.

"Well we were just passing by and decided to visit." Kioku replied. "I hope we didn't impose on any plans you had for today…"

"Oh no, not at all." Tsuki stated suddenly with slight embarrassment. "I actually wasn't doing anything."

"Then would you like to go on a walk with us?" Natsuki piped up gladly with excitement.

Her older brother was about to set her straight, when Tsuki answered, "Sure, I would love to." He was surprised for a moment but regained composure and smiled at the woman he admired.

The three of them then left the Kishin manor and started their excursion. They visited a few stalls and took in the sights of spring. For once in a long time, Tsuki enjoyed herself. Ever since Hisana and Byakuya got together, she wasn't feeling one hundred percent. She still held onto her feelings for the head of the Kuchiki clan, but spending time with the two siblings was…refreshing.

By the time they returned Tsuki back to her home, the sun was already setting. Standing at the door, she turned to Kioku, who was giving a piggy back ride to a sleeping Natsuki. "I really enjoyed today." She told him with a soft smile.

"Really? Well maybe…" he said, trailing off while blushing before he continued. "If you liked it, we could probably…hang out…? I-I mean, just the two of us?"

For a minute, Tsuki was speechless. Was he…asking her out? But she knew the answer right away. After all the man she was in love with already had another to give his affections to. It was high time she moved on and found someone else.

Her smile widened and she gave her answer confidently, "Yes. That would be nice."

Kioku was surprised at her reply and smiled too. The two then made their plans to meet again and said their goodbyes. As Kioku made his way home, his sleeping sister smiled, happy that her brother finally stood up and asked the woman he had admired since his school days out on a date…

The two females smiled at each other as they finished reminiscing.

"I hope someone finds him soon…" Natsuki commented after a while. Her expression then changed to mild anger as she continued, "He better return soon! He has his family and fiancée worrying about him!"

Tsuki laughed so hard and then finally it hit her. She then started to cry and sob while her friend stopped her arguing and comforted the crying woman. "He'll come back…" she stated with confidence which lowered as she repeated. "He'll come back soon…"

* * *

**Fun fact: I actually had this idea on a spur of the moment, as it was almost Valentine's day. So I eventually posted it on the day, even though this one's kind of sad…**

**I'm actually planning another Valentine themed fanfic, where each of my OCs (including Tsuki) will be recalling their first kiss. I'll be posting the fanfic chapters in February, so I hope you'll be looking forward to Tsuki's first kiss!**

**Lastly, this is the first of four chapters to be submitted today. I will be gone all weekend, but I'll be back on Monday to give you your next chapters on Tuesday! Hope you enjoy!**


	13. SWA Meeting and A Budding Relationship

Tsuki had just returned from taking a stack of papers to another division when Matsumoto walked in like she owned the place.

"Hey Tsuki-chan!" she said happily with a smile on her face. "Do you have a minute?"

The shinigami she talked to turned to face her and said in response, "Yes, but why?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to accompany me to a meeting." The vice-captain of tenth division continued. "The others would love to have you there, and we have lots of things to do like-."

"If you have time to chat, you should be taking that time to work," Byakuya stated as he walked into his office and sat at his desk.

Matsumoto nearly jumped out of her shihakushô with surprise and turned to the captain saying, "Captain Kuchiki! Don't scare me like that!"

Byakuya's expression remained unchanged while Tsuki chuckled a little. Finally she answered Matsumoto's initial question, "Okay, I'll go with you if it makes you happy."

"Okay then, I'll pick you up later! Bye!" the assistant captain stated with excitement as she left in a flash.

Byakuya was relieved to see her go and he faced Tsuki, who was still standing there. "Tsuki-san," he said with a firm tone. "Don't you have work to do?"

"Oh, yes. Sorry." She apologized and left her captain's office, wondering what this 'meeting' could be about considering it was Matsumoto who wanted her to come.

It was late afternoon by the time the assistant captain of squad ten showed up to drag Tsuki to this 'meeting'. "So where exactly are we going?" Tsuki asked as she followed the vice-captain through the streets of Seireitei.

"Just wait and see!" Matsumoto answered secretively with a smile and a glint in her eye. Tsuki sighed with worry and the two then turned around a corner and entered a building nearby. They took a few turns in the building before entering a room with a few tables formed in a u shape. At the one end of the room was a single podium with a chair behind it. The tables in the u shape faced the podium.

Currently there were a couple people there, but everyone was yet to arrive.

The vice-captain of squad twelve, Nemu Kurotsuchi, was there, sitting quietly and emotionlessly. She wore her own version of the shihakushô, with her shoulders puffed up and she was wearing a small skirt that ended at her knees instead of pants. She also wore ballet like slippers. Her hair color was black and she had straight bangs with the rest of her hair in a braid and her eye color was green. The other two people present were the vice-captain of eleventh division Yachiru and the assistant captain of squad eight, Nanao.

Nanao had light blue colored eyes that hid behind oval shaped glasses and her black hair was up in a bun except for a small strand that hung out on the right side of her face. Like all the rest of the shinigami, she wore a shihakushô as well and always carried a large book with her. She was the first to notice Tsuki and asked, "Oh, you found a new member, Matsumoto?"

"Yup!" she replied with a smile as Yachiru noticed the third seated officer of squad six.

"Kiki-chan!" she said with excitement. "You've come to play! Yay!"

The third seat raised an eyebrow with interest. Play? She heard that this was supposed to be a meeting. Then again, the assistant captain of squad eleven was a child…

Tsuki was already there, so she might as well take a seat, and she did. Meanwhile, Matsumoto was making small talk with Nanao. "So where is everyone?" she asked, a concerned look appearing on her face.

"Apparently they are still on duty." Nanao replied while shifting the glasses on her face. "I was thinking of waiting a few more minutes before starting."

"Well then Tsuki-chan, we can chat while we wait!" the orange haired assistant captain suggested happily. "So is there anyone you've got your eye on?"

Everyone there leaned in close to hear what she had to say. Tsuki was about to change the subject because she didn't want to talk about it but Yachiru answered the question for her. "Kiki-chan has a fiancé! The one who went missing!" she said cheerfully with a big smile. "But she reeaally admires Bya-kun! She follows him everywhere!"

Tsuki blushed profusely with surprise as Yachiru giggled happily and all eyes were on the third seat officer.

"Tsuki-chan's got a crush on her captain?!" Matsumoto exclaimed with interest.

"N-No, that's not true!" she shouted in her own defense, still blushing.

"That's not what the look on your face says…" Nemu commented simply.

"Okay, maybe…I like him a little…" the third seat said shyly, but then became defensive again as she pleaded with them. "But please don't tell Rukia or anyone else!"

"Don't tell who what?" the voice of the person in question was heard and they all turned to see her standing in the doorway with a confused expression on her face. Matsumoto looked like she was going to answer and Tsuki watched, expecting the worst.

"Oh, we were just talking about how flat Tsuki-chan's chest was." She replied effortlessly with a fake concerned look on her face. Nemu nodded emotionlessly in agreement while Nanao and Tsuki blushed with shock (Yachiru just sat there devouring a packet of sweets she had stashed away somewhere) before the assistant captain continued. "She felt so ashamed that she barely has anything to show and told us not to tell any of the guys about this."

To finish, she secretly winked at the still shocked and red cheeked Tsuki, proud with the story she just told. Everyone's eyes then turned to Rukia to see her reaction. The expression on her face seemed to say that she didn't buy the lie of a story…

But suddenly she stepped forward and clasped Tsuki's hands in hers. With eyes shining in inspiration, she said in awe, "Tsuki-chan, I know how you feel."

All were surprised and turned to Tsuki with expectation. "R-Really?" she asked hesitantly, and Rukia nodded quickly in reply. "Ah. Thank you then…"

"Kiki-chan and Rukia-chan are even closer now!" Yachiru commented happily as Rukia then sat next to Tsuki.

Byakuya's sister seemed as if she was going to say something, but decided not to. The chatting continued as more women shinigami came in through the door. Tsuki was even surprised to see Soi Fon show up. That and the meeting was just everyone hanging out and chatting about random "important" things. Nothing much happened and not much was discussed.

"So, did you like the meeting?" Matsumoto asked when it was over.

"I can't say it was exactly a meeting," Tsuki replied truthfully. "But I'll think about coming to the next one."

"I hoped you come again to play, Kiki-chan!" Yachiru exclaimed happily with a big smile.

"I expect that you will come again." Nanao added while she adjusted her glasses.

The third seat smiled and nodded as she left the room. Outside, Rukia was waiting for her.

"Do you mind if I walk with you?" she asked politely.

Tsuki answered no and Rukia fell into step beside her. For a while it was silent, until Tsuki asked her, "I saw your expression earlier and it looked like you wanted to tell me something. What was it?" The one walking with her was flustered for a moment, but decided to tell her.

"Nii-sama…He told me about Hisana." She started bitter sweetly while Tsuki looked on with slight shock as the two walked on into the streets at night. "He also told me about your relationship with her. That you were best friends." – she paused and looked to her late sister's friend – "I want to know…What was she like?"

"Well, she was very beautiful, and fit very nicely into a noble's life. I actually introduced her to Byakuya in the first place you know. She was graceful and almost regal, like a princess." Tsuki started with a soft smile as she remembered her friend. "But she always thought of others, and even though she was poorly most of the time she was always searching for you and was worried about you…" – she looked to Rukia still with the smile and soft look – "Even at the end she was concerned for you."

"Is that why you helped Ichigo and his friends save me?" Rukia asked, even though she knew the answer.

"Of course! The whole time I was thinking, 'I bet Hisana doesn't want it to be like this!' so I helped out, much to my captain's displeasure…" she replied with gusto. "That and your brother was being difficult in his own decision to let you be executed. I had to let him know he was doing the wrong thing!" – Rukia chuckled and she paused for a moment with a smile – "Also…A good person wouldn't let their friend die; whether or not they broke the law…I make it my duty to follow my heart and not my head."

Rukia was suddenly inspired by Tsuki's words. Before the night was over, the two made a promise to be friends forever, and Tsuki felt as if she was with Hisana again…

* * *

**At the door of the Kuchiki manor….**

**Rukia: Hey Tsuki, do you like Nii-sama or something? You seem to be wherever he is…**

**Tsuki: **_**How'd she find out?! **_**（ ﾟ ****Д****ﾟ****）**


	14. From Melted to Frozen

Nearly a month passed before the beings soon to be known as arrancars showed themselves in the world of the living. And so, Soul Society's response was to send a group over to help with fighting them off. The ones chosen to go were Captain Hitsugaya – as the leader – Matsumoto, Yumichika, Ikkaku, Rukia and…

"How come Renji gets to go and I don't?" Tsuki asked with a pout as she and the red head stood before their captain. "I want to go to the world of the living too!"

"I get to go because I was asked by Head Captain Yamamoto to go." Renji replied.

"And you have no need to, Tsuki-san" Byakuya added from his seat at his desk.

"Neither does Ikkaku and he got asked to go by Renji!" she stated with annoyance while crossing her arms. "He didn't ask me."

"You're needed here, Tsuki." Renji explained to his upset subordinate. "To be an acting vice-captain while I'm gone." – he suddenly smirked – "Besides, unlike you, I do my job. If you were to go instead of me, you would just be messing around the whole time."

"Fine, I'll stay here and do all the paperwork." She stated in response as she walked to the door, but stopped before exiting the office. "But don't expect me to talk to you when you come back."

And so she left the two men and stomped down to her own room to start on her work. Renji just shrugged. She would bounce back soon enough once he arrived from their mission. Anyway, now wasn't the time to worry about a huffy woman, he had to prepare for the mission ahead…

And so Hitsugaya's Advance Team left for the world of the living. Tsuki slightly dreaded the days ahead. She had hardly anyone to hang around with during her free time and Renji wouldn't be there to lighten the bad moods her captain sometimes had.

Suddenly then someone came to tell her that the captain needed her. She sighed. This was going to be one long day. If every day from now was going to be like this, she'd have to find ways to keep herself on the brighter side of things.

Renji sent in reports frequently of how things were going in the world of the living. He told of how the team had fought back the arrancars in two cases and everyone was training for the war ahead. Tsuki was still a little jealous of Renji but as the days passed, she sort of knew that her place was in the soul society. Another month passed in the blink of an eye and soon the news came that Orihime had 'willingly' left to Hueco Mundo and was declared a traitor.

"Tsuki-san, come with me." Byakuya ordered, standing at the door of her office.

Tsuki didn't question him as she stood up and started to follow him through the barracks, but she did ask, "Where are we going?"

He didn't reply, so they walked on in silence, Tsuki wondering what was happening. The route the two were taking seemed to lead to the Senkaimon. It got even more confusing when they met Captain Kenpachi on the way. As they walked on, Tsuki looked up to the tall battle crazy captain curiously to find him looking down at her with relatively the same expression.

"Why is Kishin here?" he asked Byakuya. "Does she know what's happened?"

"No," the captain of squad six replied simply. "I've asked her to accompany me. That is all."

And so Tsuki was even more lost as to what the two captains were talking about. Guess she had to wait and see to find out…

It turns out that they were heading towards the Senkaimon, because the three of them where currently in the area before the gate. Tsuki looked around as they stood there. She wanted to ask what they were waiting for, but decided to be polite and wait patiently with them. At first she thought they were waiting for the advance team to come back, but when the word was given to open the Senkaimon, no one was there.

Byakuya and Kenpachi started to enter the passage way to the world of the living, and Tsuki started to follow. Her captain sensed this and told her to stay and wait at the entrance. She wanted to protest, but kept her composure, hoping he would come back and someone would explain the situation.

A few minutes later the two captains emerged from inside the Senkaimon with the advance team following not too far behind. She smiled as they came closer, happy to see that they were okay. But as they came even closer, her smile turned to a concerned frown, seeing that Renji and Rukia looked forlorn.

Tsuki wanted more than anything to ask what happened, but she saw that her friends didn't want to talk about it right now. Immediately Byakuya started to head back to the sixth division and it was a silent walk until when they were almost there.

"Inoue-san has been declared a traitor by the soul society. She went missing when she was traveling through the dangai." The captain explained while they walked on. "We believe she has willingly left to Hueco Mundo with an arrancar."

"That's horrible," Tsuki commented, now understanding Rukia and Renji's expressions. "What is Ichigo-?"

"We're forbidden to go save her." Renji stated, cutting Tsuki off. "But knowing that idiot, he's going to go regardless of what the head captain's said."

She looked back at the two and saw Renji scratching the back of his head and Rukia wanting to say something. "Brother, I know Orihime wouldn't just join the other side of her free will." She said with determination after a few moments of silence. "Will you let us go and help Ichigo?"

Tsuki turned her gaze back to Byakuya, wondering what his decision was going to be. For a few minutes he was silent, and the tension between the four of them increased dramatically. Finally he answered, "The only orders that I received were to bring you back. There were no orders regarding what to do with you. Do as you wish."

The two of them were elated. They then left to go get ready to leave for Hueco Mundo.

"You're going to let them go, just like that?" Tsuki asked when she and her captain had entered his office.

"Would you rather I force them to stay here when Ichigo could be risking his life?" he asked simply.

"Oh no. I'm just surprised that you're going to let them do what they want." She commented while smiling. "You've changed a little in your actions. Is it because of what Ichigo's done?"

Byakuya didn't answer, however, he did say, "I'm interested in the fact that you didn't ask to go with them."

"Well Renji's going to be running rampant in Hueco Mundo," She said with a sly smile as she picked up a pile of papers meant for her to work on. "So someone needs to stay here and take care of things." As she made her statement, Tsuki could've sworn that her captain cracked a small smile for only a second, and then it was gone.

Tsuki then smiled to herself, walking over to a nearby desk. Before sitting down, she remembered Kioku and how she told herself that she would go to Hueco Mundo and see what happened to him. She would have to go at a later time…

"Is something wrong?" she heard her captain ask, bringing her out of her deep thoughts.

"No, not at all." She replied quickly. "Just thinking of how I did want to go with them, but I'm okay now." With that she got to working on the stack of papers nearby while her captain went to wondering…

Later, Byakuya and Tsuki met with Renji and Rukia. The captain gave them each a cape, telling them they would need it to shield them from the dust and sent them on their way to the world of the living to consult Urahara about traveling onwards to Hueco Mundo.

On their way back to the barracks, Byakuya suddenly asked out of the blue, "Are you still concerned for Kioku Shimazaki?"

"Why would you ask that?" Tsuki said in response with surprise.

"You were quiet while working on your papers." He told her. "Renji says you usually talk when you work in the same room. Therefore, something must have been on your mind."

"Nothing ever escapes your gaze, does it?" she said while crossing her arms, finally giving up. "So what if I was thinking of Kioku? Is there something wrong with that?"

"It is the reason you wish to go to Hueco Mundo." Her captain continued.

Man he was good at reading people! Tsuki sighed, and after a few minutes of silence, she asked her captain, "Would you let me go…?" – she paused and then let out all the things she kept bottled up – "I mean, I know he's gone, but I also think Aizen took him to Hueco Mundo. And I also don't want to believe that he's dead, even though I heard that he was killed. I just want to go to find out for myself whether he's dead or not."

She looked up to him, expectant to hear his answer. He just stood there, his back turned to her, silent. After a few moments, he said, "It's too dangerous; I can't allow you to go. The one you love is already gone. Why don't you just accept that he'll never come back?"

His words were firm and icy, and they cut deep into Tsuki. And they were words of a wounded heart, frozen over again. He walked away, leaving her speechless and hurt once again. He didn't want to hurt her, but it would keep her from wanting to go, and that's something he didn't want her to do. At least, that's what he thought would happen…


	15. Welcome to Hueco Mundo

After being able to move again – for the words he said froze her in the place she was standing – Tsuki decided to try and avoid him. So she went to her office and locked herself in to nurse the mental wounds he gave her. In the darkness of her room, Tsuki was deep in her thoughts. She didn't want to go to Hueco Mundo for only herself, she wanted to go and protect as well.

She thought of Renji and Rukia, and Ichigo and the others; what they might be doing. Fighting, perhaps. Fighting the arrancars that stood between them and freeing Orihime…and Aizen. The one who took her fiancé away from her. And now her thoughts made a complete circle as she started thinking of the others who had gone to Hueco Mundo. Soon she was deep in a troubled sleep.

Suddenly a chill went up her spine and she jolted awake after seeing a frightful vision. It appeared so fast in her mind that she stood up too quick and ending up hitting the wall behind her.

'_What was that?!'_ she thought to herself, shaking her head and then held it. _'Something…doesn't feel right…'_

She tried to think of it and it came back to her. The vision she saw was of two silhouettes. One had a spear-like weapon and he was holding it up, the other hanging limp on it. Horror filled her eyes as she realized who the one hanging on the spear was.

"R-Rukia?" she asked herself with disbelief while looking on into the darkness that enveloped her office. Finally with a sense of urgency she continued, "Rukia's in trouble!"

Tsuki knew what she had to do. She would be disobeying her captain once again, but she had to go and make sure Rukia was safe. That and prove to herself that the vision she saw wasn't true. She took her zanpaku-tô and left for the world of the living secretly. Once there, she entered Urahara's shop.

"Hello?" she called out into the dark store. She looked around, seeing candy and treats. This store seemed pretty ordinary to be a place for soul reapers. Venturing farther, she called out once more, "Is anyone there?"

After a few minutes of silence she heard someone approaching and a figure opened the door and turned on the light. She couldn't see all that well since the light went on but when her eyes got accustomed, she saw Urahara, the man who owned the shop, looking like he just woke up.

He stood six feet tall with messy light blond hair and grey colored eyes shadowed over by a green and white bucket hat. He wore a dark green shirt and pants under a darker green coat with diamonds at the hem on the bottom. The man seemed to be living the lazy life, because he had stubble on his chin and a whole lazy look about him.

"Well hello there." He said with a carefree smirk while he took a seat on the floor at the back of the shop. "Can I help you, Miss soul reaper?"

"I'm Tsukiko Kishin," she told him with urgency while stepping closer. "And I would like you to help me get to Hueco Mundo."

At first, the shady Urahara looked at her with shock, which quickly turned into interest. "Has your captain given you permission?" he asked her and she became antsy.

"No, but someone I know, Rukia Kuchiki, is in trouble." She stated quickly. "You have to let me go, please!" She began pleading, anything that would let her go.

"I never said I wasn't going to help you…" Urahara explained with a sly grin. "Just answer one question: How do you know that Rukia is in trouble?"

"I just felt something wrong and had a weird vision of her being killed." Tsuki replied willingly with thought. "It's just a sort of ability that I've had." – she trailed off in thought and then realized she was still on a mission – "Can you get me to Hueco Mundo?" She looked up to see he was gone and in his place was a hole in the floor. "Mr. Urahara?" she asked while looking down into it.

"Down there is the garganta to Hueco Mundo." He stated from behind her, making her jump and almost fall into the hole.

Tsuki glared back at him with anger and he just chuckled, hiding his face behind a white fan. She then began her descent down the long ladder. Once they were close to the garganta, Tsuki took in a deep breath and was about to enter when Urahara asked, "It's dangerous on the other side. Are you sure you don't want to wait for the others?"

"Someone else is meant to come?" she asked with curiosity while looking back to him.

"Yes, the plan was to send a few captains in to battle while others come here when Aizen arrives in the world of the living." He replied seriously.

"That means there's a chance that Byakuya will come…" Tsuki mumbled, and then continued loudly so Urahara could hear. "No, I'm going now. If I stay I might get in trouble."

He slightly frowned but nonetheless instructed her of how to get through the passage way in the garganta. Tsuki then thanked him and jumped through the opening and went on her way to Hueco Mundo.

A barren land, with nothing but the dark night sky and white sand all over. White trees with no leaves poked out of the ground here and there and a light breeze blew dust up and around. It was quiet, but Tsuki knew that somewhere here battles were going on. She looked around, and a white palace way in the distance caught her eye.

'_That must be where everyone is…'_ she thought as her eyes narrowed.

She could feel their spiritual pressure. Some were weaker than others at the moment, including Rukia's. It would be hard to pinpoint her location, but Tsuki knew she could do it. She closed her eyes and concentrated hard. There was very little of her reishi left, so she was still alive, but hardly. She flash stepped there as fast as she could and came to a room with close knit teal pillars for walls.

The floor and some of the walls were iced over here and there, possibly left from her battle earlier when she used her shikai. Over to one side, the remains of a body the shape of a man dressed in white laid limp and quite dead. Upon further investigation, Tsuki saw that this body had a cylindrical glass container in place of a head, and nearby was a small ball looking like a hollow's face cut in half.

'_So it was a draw…'_ she thought while looking over to Rukia, seeing that she was lying face down, ice on her as well. She looked deeply wounded and Tsuki was about to move her to check her vitals when she felt a presence approaching.

Tsuki hid somewhere in the hallway leading to the room, and watched as a tall, muscular, dark colored man in white clothing just like the one lying on the ground, walk into the room. He was bald except for some small spikes fashioned in a Mohawk and had yellow colored eyes. That was all Tsuki could see of him from her hiding place. She watched on as the man looked to the thing lying on the ground and spoke in a deep voice.

"Aaroniero Arruruerie, last of the first generation Espadas. You've come to a pitiful end." He stated before gazing upon Rukia. "And you haven't finished the job." – he drew his sword while continuing – "Everyone is too soft. The enemy can't be alive. They must be dead. There's only one way to be sure, and that's decapitating them. Worry not, Aaroniero. I will clean up your mess."

He was about to do as he said when Tsuki rushed out, her zanpaku-tô in shikai release and in fan form. "I'm sorry, but I can't allow you to do that." She told the arrancar with determination while he just stared at her in contemplation.

* * *

Meanwhile back at the Soul Society, it was almost time for a select few to travel to Hueco Mundo and Byakuya was one of them, despite Kenpachi's claims that he could go by himself.

Currently he was making his way to the Senkaimon, but he stopped before the door to Tsuki's office. He gazed at the closed door which was always open and finally decided he would check on her. He reached out to open it, but stopped short. What if she wanted to be left alone? He turned to leave, but looked back at the door again.

Finally he quickly opened the door and found…no one. The room was dark and the lone window in the room was shut. Light poured from behind the captain onto a desk piled high with papers, meaning she hadn't done any work at all. He walked up to the desk and saw a paper that was written on. It just said two words that were clearly in her handwriting, "I'm sorry." His eyes narrowed as he looked on the paper, wondering why she would write that.

Suddenly he realized that he didn't have enough time to be standing there wondering about a note. He would find Tsuki and talk to her later. Right now he had to get to the Senkaimon. So he left and closed the door behind him, heading for the gate that led to the world of the living…

* * *

Cuts and bruises up her arms and on her body, Tsuki panted as she held her zanpaku-tô at the ready to attack. She had found out that the enemy she was fighting was the seventh Espada, Zommari Rureaux. He was quite tough, because while she was wounded, he didn't have any scratches on him.

And he was fast. This was on a totally different level from when she sparred with Yoruichi and Byakuya in the past. But she would protect Rukia at all costs, at least until the others arrived, as Urahara had told her. She put all her energy into one last attack and rushed forward, hoping this would at least cut him. But it didn't. The arrancar had blocked the attack effortlessly.

While looking at her tired and wounded form, he commented, "I can see that you have no more energy to attack. I think it's time we finish this."

Suddenly Tsuki's body went numb and she couldn't feel anything. She didn't even know what had happened to her. Had she been stabbed? Everything then went dark; the last thing she saw was the arrancar's smirk.

"Good." Zommari said to himself while watching the female soul reaper pull her sword away on his command. Her eyes were glazed over and she had a sun shaped tattoo on her forehead. She was under his control now and would do whatever he said. Maybe he would have her finish off the one she was protecting…

Suddenly he felt a presence coming. He told his puppet to hide and went on to finish the almost dead soul reaper quickly. But the source of the presence was already there, standing behind him. He turned around to face his new opponent…

* * *

**Interview: **

**Me: I bet you're all wondering what Tsuki did to get past the guards that stand at the Senkaimon 24/7. So what did you do Tsuki-chan?**

**Tsuki: That's a secret! (Uses flash step to leave)**

**Me: There you have it. I guess we'll never find out… (Bya-kun approaches)**

**Byakuya: She knocked them out cold…**

**Me: Really? How do you know?**

**Byakuya plays video of guards waking up and holding heads in pain.**

**Me: Who knew? (shrugs) See you next time!**

**That's it for today (and this weekend)! More to come next Tuesday as normally scheduled!**


	16. Under Control of the Sun: Part 1

"Who may I ask are you?" Zommari stated while he faced his enemy, the captain of squad six, Byakuya Kuchiki. "I knew you were a captain from your robe. I am the Séptima Espada Zommari Rureaux. Identify yourself intruder."

"My name does not matter to you." The captain said in response seriously. "I am only one thing to you, and that is the enemy." – he paused and looked to his sister lying on the ground – "I have a question. Did you do that?" He was referring to the state she was in.

Zommari gave it some thought before answering, "No." – he rose his sword – "But I was about to finish her off." Byakuya's eyes narrowed with slight anger as the two enemies faced each other. For a few minutes, the two watched each other from opposite ends of the room silently.

Zommari was the first to break the silence while he pointed his sword at the captain. "Aren't you going to attack?" he asked before turning his gaze to Rukia. "If I'm allowed to say so, it would be pointless to revive that soul reaper. I would advise against trying to do so."

"Why would it be pointless?" Byakuya asked.

He then used flash step to get behind his enemy and was about to attack, but Zommari had already appeared behind the captain. The captain of squad six was mildly surprised as he looked behind him. The Espada slashed his sword but Byakuya drew his zanpaku-tô in time to block the attack. Skidding back with his blade out, Byakuya assessed his enemy.

"How do you do that?" he asked while watching the Espada show off the same move.

"It's called Gemelos Sonído. I am the fastest of all the Espada." Zommari replied as he did it once again, his final stance side turned and gazing at his enemy. "It's a quasi-doppelganger-type technique I made myself by modifying my sonído with steps. It's much like a magic trick." – he saw his enemy do nothing and continued – "Magic is meant to surprise people. Do not be distressed because you could not follow me with your eyes."

For a moment, Byakuya said nothing. Finally he told the arrancar, "You should be distressed for tipping your hand so soon." He then slashed at the arrancar quickly but his enemy had used his technique. Byakuya was quick to respond as he slashed at the copy behind him. In the thick of battle, the Espada spoke.

"My Gemelos Sonído is not just limited to two figures." He informed the captain from behind, about to strike down his enemy.

Byakuya was unfazed as he gazed at the arrancar from the corner of his eye and said, "I didn't think so." making the arrancar look on in shock.

Still with his back turned, the captain fired a hadô – Byakurai – through his haori and it hit his enemy straight in the middle of his chest. It seemed as if he was finished, but suddenly he was back. Byakuya was shocked as his enemy continued moving using his technique.

"My special technique can make up to five figures." He told the captain with a straight face. He then closed in on his enemy and stabbed him. Holding his sword there, he continued, "Farewell nameless captain. You lost for you were arrogant and refused to give your name."

But in the next second Byakuya was gone, leaving his haori on the Espada's blade. Zommari stared at the blade with shock while his enemy appeared behind him.

"Onmitsu Hohô Shihô Three: Utsusemi. I did not want to use a technique learned from her…" the captain said, referring to Yoruichi. "But you are the arrogant one. Do not worry. Arrogance isn't the only reason that you'll lose. You are simply…out-classed."

"What makes you think that I'm arrogant?" Zommari asked. "There was no arrogance on my part. I saw that you were of the captain class and believed we were of the same class and behaved like I should have."

"That is the height of arrogance," Byakuya stated bluntly. "If an arrancar is thinking he is in the same class as me."

"I see… How disrespectful. I shall reach inside you and rub it out." He said while placing his sword in front of him horizontally, assuming a meditation pose. He then clapped his hands together and twisted his head to the right until it was horizontal.

After doing so, he recited his release, "Quell, Brujería." Suddenly his irises expanded and his sword bent up into a rough spiral and smoke came from the edges, enveloping his body. The smoke then changed into white goo and started to slide off his body, revealing a changed Zommari. His top half was still pretty much the same, except it was covered with eyes like his own in varying sizes. His neck was covered with a skull-like brace with an eye in the front. He still had the tattoos on his chin, and there were the same kind of tattoos under his eyes. Zommari's bottom half was shaped like a pumpkin and was pink with white faces much like his own protruding from the pumpkin.

For a few moments he did nothing, until he brought his hands apart and directed the eye on his palm to look at his enemy. The iris of that eye expanded and Byakuya used shunpo to dodge out of the way of a probable attack.

The captain appeared out of harm's way behind his enemy and waited for the attack to happen…but it didn't. Nothing happened…

Zommari noticed this and spoke. "You look a little confused. You anticipated an attack and nothing happened?" – he paused before smirking – "The attack…has already taken place." He said as a sun shaped tattoo appeared on the ankle of his enemy's left leg. "Your left leg belongs to me now."

Byakuya looked down at the tattoo with shock while Zommari went on to say how some things are subject to higher things. He then went on to explain that his release can overpower anything that his eyes look upon. "I call this power of mine Amor." – his enemy said nothing – "I know it must be difficult to understand. It is hard for those who do not have wisdom. But you will understand. Left leg, this way please." He stated and the leg that was under control took one step forward.

Byakuya looked down in anger and the arrancar informed him that he could not resist. Before Zommari could give the leg any more orders, the captain quickly sliced his own leg.

"Your leg most certainly can't move now that you've slashed the muscles and tendons. Very impressive." Zommari commented, unfazed. "But how about this?"

Two of the eyes changed on the shoulder facing the unconscious Rukia. Immediately Byakuya rushed over to where she was to protect her and his enemy was mildly surprised.

"For a man with only one good leg, you move well." Zommari said as he faced the captain. "No wonder that you are a captain. You have my deepest admiration."

Byakuya was about to say something when someone came through one of the hallways leading to the room the two were fighting in. "There you are Captain Kuchiki! Why did you leave me behind? I might have gotten lost!" the new addition to the battle, Hanatarô, shouted while running in.

He took one look at the injured captain and went into shock. But then Rukia caught his eye and he was even more shocked to see the state that she was in. Zommari watched him unfazed as he commented that the visitor was boisterous. Byakuya just told him to stay back. Hanatarô obliged, saying, "Yes sir. I get out of your way right now!"

"You're not in my way." The captain stated in response, not looking at him. "You are annoying me." Hana said nothing as he looked on. "I'll tell you once again, back away." Byakuya said seriously to the soul reaper standing behind him. "I am not sure if I can keep you out of this fight."

Soon after another sun tattoo appeared on the captain's left hand and it shot up fast to his neck to choke him. Before it could do so, Byakuya slashed at his wrist without hesitance. His arm then fell limp at his side while Hanatarô looked on with terror in his face, asking him what he was doing.

Not turning his back to the enemy, he pointed at Rukia and used the hadô spell Shô to break the ice holding her to the ground. She rolled a safe distance away and he told Hanatarô to move away once again. He then picked Rukia up and started to take her farther away.

"You slashed at your own arm and leg without hesitation. What cold-blooded decisiveness." Zommari stated after a moment of silence. "I believe that's rash. It would be foolish to continue this battle with you having only two working limbs, don't you agree?"

"Even though I gave up my arm and leg," Byakuya told the arrancar he was facing. "You are still not my equal."

"You overestimate your strength…There is one thing that I have forgotten to mention: the eyes are the key. Each one can control one subject." Zommari explained to the captain who narrowed his eyes. "I released my power with two of my eyes. I took control of something as well as your arm…" A sun tattoo then appeared on the left side of Rukia's forehead…

* * *

**Fun Fact: Just like with the Ichigo vs. Byakuya chapter, I thought I could submit the whole of Byakuya vs. Zommari in one chapter. Well, it got to be too long as one chapter, so I had to break it in two. Although I did submit the chapters separately, I submitted the next one as quickly as I could.**

**Fortunately for you, I'm submitting both of the chapters together today. ;)**


	17. Under Control of the Sun: Part 2

Rukia's eyes opened, glazed over, seeing nothing after the sun tattoo had appeared on her forehead. Immediately she broke free of Hanataro's grip slashed at his chest, making him fall back onto the ground.

Byakuya started to rush over to her, but Zommari shouted at him to make him stop. He then had his puppet hold the blade to her throat and Byakuya stopped in his tracks, not wanting to move for it endangered her.

"One eye can control one part. But, if I take control of the head," Zommari told the captain. "I can control the whole body. You have lost. Drop your sword, nameless captain."

For a moment, Byakuya said nothing, but then he let go of his zanpaku-tô. As it fell, he pointed to Rukia and said, "Bakudô sixty one, Rikujôkôrô." Six beams of yellow light then slammed into her midsection and prevented her from moving.

Zommari was struck with shock as he tried to make Rukia move but nothing happened.

"Your control means nothing to me" Byakuya stated seriously.

For a few minutes the Espada was silent, until he smirked a little. "You have not noticed all this time that," he said to an intrigued captain. "we've had a spectator?"

Byakuya's eyes went wide with surprise before glancing around and trying to sense someone's presence, if it was there. But there was no one. Suddenly at the last moment, he blocked an attack from behind with his zanpaku-tô.

Byakuya looked and saw the very person he had thought would never disobey him again, Tsuki. His eyes narrowed as he looked at how she had bruises and cuts, her glazed over eyes and the sun tattoo on her forehead. So she had battled this foe and lost. And she had been taken control of too…

While the struggle continued between the two, Zommari explained how she happened to be there when he arrived. Tsuki then started slashing at Byakuya quickly, and all he could do was block, thinking of a way he might be able to stop her.

"The look on your face said that you know her." The Espada mused as he watched the two clash swords again and again. "She does seem to be a match for you at battle, don't you think?"

Byakuya glared at his enemy and was about to attack him instead of Tsuki, when she quickly knocked the sword out of his hand. He was trapped now. Zommari laughed at the position he was in and said, "Maybe she's a little too much for you." – he paused and then went serious – "But now you're finished. If you would please do the honors…" Tsuki moved to stab Byakuya her zanpaku-tô and he just stood there and faced her, ready to take it.

But that's just about all she did. She stood there with the sword in position and didn't move an inch. The Espada noticed this and became angered. "Finish him off." He told his puppet firmly.

The sword inched a little closer, and did not move any more. The arrancar became more agitated, but what he didn't see was that Tsuki was in fact shaking in her struggle against the orders she was given. Byakuya noticed this and showed a small smirk. Zommari in his anger asked why he was smirking and the captain paused before giving an answer.

"You have failed to notice, that Tsuki-san does not listen to her head," he replied while watching his enemy's expression turn from anger to shock. "She listens to her heart. As her captain, I know that better than anyone." – she then broke the spell, fainting and he went to go get his zanpaku-tô – "You, Espada, are finished."

He then used bankai and the pink colored blades swirled around a shocked Zommari. But he did not hesitate to use his technique once again. "I'll show you!" he shouted with anger, activating all of the eyes on his body. "I shall control all with my Amor!"

"I wouldn't bother if I were you. I have counted fifty eyes on your body, including the two on your face. How can you hope to control a million blades with that many eyes?" Byakuya said as he watched his enemy try to do so and fail from outside the swirling blades. "You had said that me being powerless is pointless. Trying to save yourself now is pointless."

Zommari shouted out in frustration and the captain used a new technique – Gôkei Senbonzakura Kageyoshi. Soon after, the blades formed a rough sphere around the arrancar. As the sphere smoothed out, Byakuya explained that Gôkei Senbonzakura Kageyoshi envelopes the enemy in a sphere and attacks those trapped from all sides.

"Be swallowed by blades and disappear." He told Zommari before the tiny blades closed in and attacked the enemy.

He then approached the three he protected and dispelled the shield spell. After that, Byakuya looked over to his enemy and commented that the arrancar was tough. Zommari, had, in fact, receded into his lower half, creating a ball like shield to protect himself. He emerged slightly hurt and exhausted, but very much still alive.

Byakuya deactivated his bankai while the arrancar repeated, "Blast you." tiredly again and again with sweat pouring down his face. "You shall pay." He continued angrily as eight more eyes opened on his forehead.

He then activated them but before the Amor reached the captain, Byakuya quickly said, "Bakudô eighty one, Dankû." A transparent shield blocked the technique and his suspicions were proved correct.

"Dankû makes a wall that completely blocks Hadô spells at level eighty nine and lower." The captain explained seriously. "I had assumed that your Amor was similar to Kido spells when I stopped Rukia with Rikujôkôrô. From what just happened, I guess I was right."

Zommari shouted out with anger in response and tried to use Amor again, but failed because the shield was still up. Finally Byakuya could take it no more and used shunpo to appear behind his enemy with his zanpaku-tô at the arrancar's neck.

"You are blinded by your frustration." he stated emotionlessly. "How shameful for the so-called fastest Espada."

"Have mercy." Zommari said quickly, frozen with fear. After seeing no change in the captain's emotion, he continued, "Will you not show any mercy?! Are you going to cut me down or execute me?!"

He then smacked the zanpaku-tô away and distanced himself from the one who endangered his life. Zommari then started a speech about how soul reapers look down on hollows and how they slay them without thought. Before he could finish, Byakuya walked by his enemy, stabbing him quickly.

"What has made you think that I'm acting as a soul reaper?" he asked while sheathing his zanpaku-tô. "I'm going to cut you down because you have aimed your blade at my pride."

In the last few moments before he was defeated, Zommari shouted praise to Aizen while the captain watched. Once the arrancar had gone, Byakuya turned to nothing in particular. "It's over. Come out, Isane Kotetsu." He ordered before the tall, silver haired vice-captain of fourth division appeared. "Did Captain Unohana send you?"

"Yes sir," she replied with concern. "She sensed that Hanatarô got hurt and ordered for me to come."

"Very well." Byakuya said as he looked to the three injured shinigami. "I'll leave you to it." She then got to healing them quickly…

Half an hour or so later, Tsuki emerged from her sleep holding her head in pain. "Ugh…My head is killing me…" she groaned as she sat up slowly. "The last thing I remember is…" – she then looked around and noticed her captain looking down on her icily – "Oh…When did you get here Captain Kuchiki?"

"I should be asking you that." He stated with a tone that matched his stare. "Didn't I tell you that you couldn't come?"

"Yes, well…I sensed that Rukia was hurt," she started bashfully, but then became more confident in her answer. "And I had to come here to see if she was okay. The Espada came to finish her off and I had to protect her. I don't remember what happened after that…"

Rukia looked to her with surprise. Yet again she had gone against her captain's wishes to help her. Suddenly a voice echoed out across Hueco Mundo to give a message to all who came…

"Can you hear me, intruders?" the voice asked. Tsuki already knew who it was as soon as she heard the first word.

"It's Aizen!" she exclaimed with slight anger after Rukia had wondered about the voice.

And it was Aizen, speaking to them from wherever he was. He then went on to complement them for how many Espadas they had defeated and also that he was going to begin his invasion on the world of the living.

"No!" Tsuki exclaimed as she stood. "We have to stop him!"

Rukia was worried for Orihime, asking where she was. "I'm leaving Orihime in the fifth tower if you want to save her, by all means, come. She is not of any use to me anymore." Aizen continued, as if to answer Rukia's question.

He told everyone that her powers were amazing and he had abducted her because the soul society would then withdraw, leaving the world of the living unprotected. He also said that he used her as bait to lure her friends to come rescue her.

"Now they and the four captains who came to help are now confined, thanks to her." He continued before the four gargantas closed up. He also went on to say that the thirteen captains of the court guard squads are a major fighting force.

"But three have seceded and four more are trapped in Hueco Mundo. Soul Society's strength has been reduced by half. How simple…" Aizen stated. "Now we'll destroy Karakura, create the Ôken, and take down the Soul Society. Once we are finished, we will come back and deal with you."

His message then was finished and Tsuki looked on in horror. "What are we supposed to do now?" she asked her captain with concern. "The world of the living will be destroyed if we're not there to protect it. We have to try and find a way out!"

Rukia also agreed and the two turned to leave when Byakuya stopped them. "There is no need." He told them firmly.

"Why?" Tsuki asked.

"Head Captain Yamamoto sent out two orders to Kisuke Urahara before the battle. The first was to send us here." He replied. "The second order was for all captains in the court guard squads to prepare to fight in Karakura."

"But if there's a battle there," Rukia started, worried for Ichigo's home. "Wouldn't the town be reduced to nothing anyway?"

"Kisuke Urahara built a device called the Tenkai Ketchu, which created a gateway that enveloped Karakura." Byakuya explained seriously. "The twelfth division then created a duplicate of Karakura; one that has no living person in it. Every human is still in the real Karakura, deep in slumber."

"Where is the real Karakura then?" Tsuki asked further and Byakuya told her it was in the outskirts of the Rukongai.

"So all we need to worry about is rescuing Orihime," Rukia stated with determination. "And getting out of here."

"What are we waiting for then?" Tsuki said in response. "Let's go help Ichigo."

She was then about to leave again when her captain stopped her. "You're staying here, Tsuki-san." He told her firmly with an icy stare. "Because you have disobeyed me once again."

"But I want to help too." She shot back. "Leaving me here could mean defeat for us all."

"Yes, Tsuki-chan is just as important as the rest of us." Rukia agreed as she stood beside her friend.

But Byakuya wouldn't listen. "She's staying here." He said once again. "And I will make sure she does so."

Tsuki saw that he could not be swayed, so she backed away and stayed put while Byakuya performed the kido spell Kyokko on her. She watched them start to leave and as they left, Rukia said her apologies for leaving her. Once again, Tsuki was left alone and possibly still in danger, for someone had been watching her since she arrived in Hueco Mundo…

* * *

**Learned a new kido spell for this chapter! It's called Kyokko and it hides any target from sight by bending light. It has the ability to completely hide the presence and reiatsu of the user or specified object. But that won't stop the person who's been watching her…**


	18. A Reunion and an Old Enemy

As Tsuki waited around, she could sense more battles starting again. From what she felt, Kenpachi had started fighting another Espada; Ichigo had too. The others were fighting a mass of enemies, trying their hardest at defeating them all. More than anything she wanted to join them and fight, but she knew her captain would get even angrier at her. So she stayed and paced around, worried about the others and their wellbeing.

What she didn't know was that the person watching her had come into the room she was in. When she turned once more to continue pacing, she noticed him. He stood about five foot eight inches tall and wore the usual arrancar's pants and a high collar long sleeved white shirt unzipped a little. All this was under a white hooded cloak with his face covered so she didn't see it. What she did see was the smirk on his face, which sent shivers down her spine.

She stood still and watched him for a moment, wondering if he knew she was there because the kido spell was still in effect. After a moment she relaxed, and that was when the arrancar made a simple swishing motion with his hand, causing the kido spell to break and reveal Tsuki.

"What do you want, arrancar?" she asked seriously as her hand reached for the hilt of her zanpaku-tô. "Have you come to kill me on Aizen's orders?"

"I do not follow the orders of that man." The arrancar answered with a surprisingly familiar voice. "He got rid of me when he made those Espada. I do what I want now…"

Tsuki's eyes narrowed, her hand still placed on the hilt while she asked who he was with a serious tone.

"Don't you recognize who I am by my voice?" he continued with an amused tone. When he saw that she was not going to answer and said, "No?" before taking off the jacked and zipping open his shirt, revealing his face and hollow hole, which was in the middle of his chest.

Tsuki gasped with shock, seeing what looked like Kioku standing there in front of her. His skin had gone pale and his hair was lighter as were his eyes. Right under them was a scar that went across his face horizontally. His hollow mask had consisted of snake jaws and protruding fin shaped bones on each side of his face.

"I-Is that you, Kioku?!" Tsuki asked. "What happened to you? I thought that you'd-."

"Died, yes, he did. A while back." The arrancar replied seeing the confused look on her face for calling Kioku "him" when that was the late shinigami's body. "I am not him, you see. Aizen had brought this body to me in Hueco Mundo and melded us together using the Hōgyoku." – he then became angry as he clenched his fist, remembering – "After that brat nearly killed me I retreated to Hueco Mundo, where Aizen had promised me a body. I saw the one who cut me down fight Zommari. I was going to attack him myself but he left before I could…"

"You know Byakuya?" she asked the arrancar curiously. "Of course." He said with a sly smile. "And I know you too. I was going to have you and that delicious soul for my meal when he jumped in…Now that you have been gazing at me for quite some time; you can see my true self, can't you?"

Tsuki then noticed some kind of force wrapping around the arrancar. It was a gigantic snake with a complete hollow's mask much like the one that the arrancar was wearing. Suddenly remembering the hollow's name brought her to a flashback of her days at the Shinôreijutsuin…

* * *

"_**Oi, Tsuki," a young teenage Byakuya said as he walked into the room with his Asauchi on his back. "Are you ready to go?"**_

_**He wore his black hair up in a ponytail except for his bangs and his grey colored eyes were full of life. He had the Shin**__**ô**__** academy uniform on, which consisted of a blue shitagi under a white kisode with blue stripes and blue circles on the chest and blue hakama.**_

_**The girl he spoke to stood up from putting on her sandals. She had her brown locks up in a ponytail as well – except for her bangs. She wore the same thing except it was red.**_

"_**Yup!" she exclaimed happily, standing up straight. She noticed that he had more than one package and asked, "What are you doing with all that stuff, Byakuya-kun?"**_

_**Suddenly he became a mixture of annoyed and angry – an emotion he had most of the time. "What do you mean by that?" he asked with the same tone in his voice. "We're going to the world of the living today to learn how to perform konso!"**_

_**Realization flashed across Tsuki's face and she started to scramble around the room, getting the things she needed together.**_

"_**Ah, looks like my little Tsuki-can forgot again." A motherly voice said from next to Byakuya. "She's so cute like that."**_

_**The two looked up to see Tsuki's mother, a beautiful woman with long silver white locks and green colored eyes. She was wearing an elegant purple kimono and had a lovely smile on her face. **_

"_**Oh, Good morning, Yoshie-san. And if you ask me, it's annoying. This happens every time we go somewhere besides the academy." He said bluntly with a frown.**_

"_**Well if that's so, then your face is annoying, Byakuya-kun!" Tsuki shot back with anger while crossing her arms.**_

_**For a while the two glared at each other until Tsuki's mother came in between them saying, "Now now, you two. You're going to be late if you keep on like this."**_

"_**Mom's right, Byakuya-kun, let's go!" Tsuki stated with excitement as she started running off. **_

"_**Wait, Tsuki!" her friend shouted out while running after her. "Are you sure you have everything?" – soon she was out of sight and he turned to her mother, waving – "Bye Yoshie-san! Don't worry; I'll take care of her!"**_

_**He then left to go after Tsuki and her mother chuckled, waving goodbye to them. "I know you will Byakuya-kun…" she said to herself as she went on to do her own business.**_

_**Later in the world of the living Byakuya had just finished doing konso on a spirit. He looked around to check on Tsuki, but she wasn't there. "Oi, Tsuki, where are you?" he asked while looking around, worried.**_

_**Meanwhile Tsuki had left the protective barrier around the area and found a lost spirit.**_

"_**Hey there, little one." Tsuki said as she rounded the corner, finding a little soul, crying**_

_**She was small and was probably around six or seven when she had passed away. She had her light brown hair tied up in pigtails and her brown eyes were filled with tears. She wore a t-shirt and shorts and looked as if she had been running from something.**_

_**Tsuki smiled warmly to the child as she kneeled next to her and spoke again, "I thought I heard you crying. Are you okay?" The girl looked up and then gazed away with worry. She said nothing and Tsuki just went on smiling. "It'll be okay." She told the girl. "I know a place where you can be happy. There will be no need for crying there.**_

_**She went on to explain about the Soul Society and the girl sensed something and looked up. "Watch out!" she shouted as she grabbed Tsuki and held on tight. Tsuki suddenly sensed something behind her and looked.**_

_**Gasping, she saw a hollow that looked like a snake, with the hollow's mask looking like a snake's head with teeth and fish fins for ears. Suddenly she started to focus and she turned to the girl. "Has this thing been following you?" she asked urgently and the girl nodded. "Let me go so I can expel him!" The girl then shook her head quickly and held on tighter.**_

_**Tsuki looked back at the hollow and she told it to back away and that it had to go through her to get to the girl.**_

"_**Then I'll have you and the girl for my meal!" the hollow said slyly. She held onto the girl tighter and protected her, shutting her eyes tightly. The hollow was going to attack when suddenly Tsuki heard a clang and she slowly opened her eyes to see…**_

"_**Byakuya-kun!" she exclaimed with relief and glee. He was currently holding his sword up to hold back the hollow. It hissed and Byakuya hit it back with the sword, getting ready for the next attack, but it didn't. It wrapped its long slithery body around Byakuya and started to squeeze.**_

_**He struggled a little and looked to Tsuki saying breathlessly, "A little help please."**_

_**Tsuki quickly obliged, freeing one of her hands and pointing her palm to the hollow's tail – the only thing she could hit with the girl latched onto her – while saying "Hadô thirty one, Shakkah**__**ô!"**_

_**A glowing red ball of energy then hit the hollow and it hissed in anger, letting go of Byakuya. He smirked, striking again and cutting the hollow's mask but not exterminating it.**_

_**It growled in pain, writhing and curling up. "How dare you, you little brat!" he hissed with anger. "How dare you attack the great Snakehead!"**_

"_**You must be pretty useless, talking in third person like that." Byakuya said with a smirk. He then stabbed at the hollow and struck him on the mask again. Snakehead then hissed once more with anger and disappeared.**_

"_**Coward." Byakuya stated seriously while he sheathed his Asauchi.**_

"_**There, you're all safe now." Tsuki told the little girl as she let go and smiled warmly. The girl smiled before looking at her other savior and hid from him.**_

"_**Don't worry, Byakuya-kun may look scary," she went on to tell the girl while standing up. "But he's good. Think of him like a big brother." Suddenly Byakuya hit her on the head with his fist hard. Tsuki looked to him with huge tears in her eyes and shouted, "You didn't have to hit me, Byakuya-kun!"**_

"_**You deserve that you idiot!" he shouted with anger. "You shouldn't wander off like that! You left the protective barrier, that's why you were attacked! You should think before you act!"**_

_**She looked away and then explained that she heard the girl crying and couldn't ignore her. He then sighed and turned to the girl.**_

"_**All right…" he said. "Let's go ahead and perform konso on this whole." He then went to pull out his sword and Tsuki stopped him.**_

"_**Let me do it." Tsuki said, pulling out her own sword. She then performed konso and all was right again…**_

* * *

"You're that snake hollow that tried to eat me!" Tsuki shouted, reaching for her zanpaku-tô again. "You're Snakehead!"

"Finally she gets it…" he said, bored as he then faced her seriously. "Shall we start this battle now?"

Tsuki nodded, saying, "Help me protect my loved ones, Tsuyoi-ai!"

* * *

**Lots of edits and additions in that chapter, and the one to come! I'm so happy though because when I first wrote this, Tsuki's mother didn't have a name, and she has one in this version. She did have a little part, but I am planning a spin off with Kioku as the main character, and she'll be more present in that one, along with her husband, Akio-Junichi. I might not start writing it until next year though, so be looking out for that one when it comes out!**


	19. Farewell, My Love

"Help me protect my loved ones, Tsuyoi-ai!" Tsuki shouted out, drawing her zanpaku-tô. Immediately the zanpaku-tô became the two fans she used during her scuffle with Byakuya and she mentally prepared for the battle ahead.

"I see you've grown stronger since back then." Snakehead stated with a smirk, looking down on her. "But you're no match for me."

He then drew his own zanpaku-tô and rushed forward to attack, but before he could cut her, Tsuki swatted his sword away quickly with one of her fans. But that wasn't all. Snakehead was eager to get rid of her. He recomposed himself and slashed at her again. The clashing of metal was heard as Tsuki had blocked another of his attacks. He growled and pointed at her, shooting a Cero from his fingertips but she dodged out of the way and put her fans together to make her claymore sword.

Tsuki then slashed at the arrancar with all her might and he spiraled out of the way, using the momentum to make a powerful attack. It was surprisingly powerful and it sent her flying backwards, but she positioned her body in midair so that her feet would stop her from hitting the wall. She glared at Snakehead, and he laughed evilly, looking down on her again.

"If you think that look of yours is going to make me back out, you're wrong!" she told him without any trace of fear in her expression or words.

The two enemies then began to clash in their sword fight again. Tsuki struggled in trying to win and fell back, panting.

"Are you getting tired already?" Snakehead asked as he watched her stand up again, still panting.

"No. I was just catching my breath." she answered after a while. "I've fought people tougher than you and trained with them. There's no way that I'll get tired while fighting you."

The arrancar frowned and narrowed his eyes. "You're gutsy to say something like that." He told her, gritting his teeth in anger. "Saying so will get you an injury."

He fired another Cero at her and she used shunpo to dodge out of the way. She appeared behind him and was about to deal a mighty blow when he quickly turned and blocked her attack. Tsuki jumped back and shot forward again, staying low so she could at least get him on his knees. Snakehead caught on fast and jumped at the right moment, landing on her back and making her fall to the ground. He was going to stab her on the back but he jumped back when she tried to use a Hadô spell.

"You're surprisingly fast with that heavy blade in your possession." He commented when the two had clashed again.

"Tsuyoi-ai is my zanpaku-tô. It is heavy in this form to all but me." She said as she swung her sword at him again.

He dodged out of the way easily and she thrust her sword forward again and again, but he just continued to move out of the way. As she was taking another break, he made a little distance between him and her.

"This battle is boring me…" he commented aloud. "Maybe I should just kill you and be done with it…" – he then gave a menacing smirk – "Or maybe I could do something to make it a little more interesting…"

"I'm getting tired of you toying with me!" Tsuki exclaimed as she slashed at him again, only for him to dodge once more. "And stop dodging and fight me!"

Quick like a snake he was behind her, caressing her cheek, making her shiver. "Oh, but I do like to toy with my prey first…" he said in a whisper that made her shiver more. "I take great…pleasure in it." – he said the last bit of this sentence with ecstasy – "This man must have been lucky to have you. You are a beautiful creature. It's too bad I have to kill you…"

She suddenly became uncomfortable at his words and decided this was the right moment to attack. Quickly she made her sword back into fans and pointed one – closed – at the arrancar's torso sneakily, so he wouldn't see. She pushed a secret button and a few needles shot from the end pointed to her opponent. He screamed in pain and anger as he let her go and backed away. She smirked and turned to face him.

"Why, you little…" he said angrily while holding his wound.

"That'll teach you never to back a woman into a corner." Tsuki told him while shielding her face with one of her fans and batting her eyes. "And if you want some more, I have more tricks up my sleeve."

Snakehead growled in response and was about to attack her, but stopped himself from doing so. He began to plan a way to get her back quickly. He smirked to himself as he lowered his head and waited for a response, which came faster than he expected.

"What's wrong? Woman got your tongue?" she asked with a mocking tone in her voice. She waited a few quiet moments before turning to leave but stopped short hearing a familiar voice.

She looked over to her opponent and saw that his face was showing again, with sadness and longing in his eyes. "Tsuki…" he called her name again with happiness when he had seen her. "You've come for me…" He then walked over to her and brought her into a kind and warm embrace.

"K-Kioku?!" she uttered softly, overwhelmed by what was happening. "Why-? How did you-?"

But she knew better than to speak. This was a miracle…She closed her eyes and relaxed, but tensed up again when she heard Snakehead's voice in the form of an evil laugh. He then let go of her and slashed at her quickly.

She backed away, holding the wound he just gave her, which ran from her right shoulder to her left hip. Her sash was ruined and laying on the ground, but she had another under that tied at her waist to keep her clothes together. Blood dripped from the shallow wound while she glared at him.

"You're so gullible! You didn't suspect a thing!" he shouted, laughing some more. "To think that you'd believe such a thing as your beloved coming back! He's gone forever! His body is mine!"

"You're sick!" Tsuki roared angrily, still holding her wound and panted. "Sick and twisted arrancar! I'll show you who you're messing with!"

Snakehead just smirked and said, "What an empty threat! You can't-!" He then stopped short and frowned as he sensed her spiritual pressure increase.

It increased more and more until she readied herself to attack with all her might…or so the arrancar thought. Finally, when she was ready, she shouted, "Bankai!" and her body began to glow brightly like the moon. Snakehead shielded his eyes from the almost blinding white light and when it died down; he saw that the woman he was fighting took a totally different form from before.

Tsuki was now wearing a simple ornamental blue kimono with dark blue Chinese bellflower prints on the bottom and sleeves, as well as along the collar. Around her waist was a pastel yellow wrap, tied in a huge bow at the back, making it look like she had butterfly wings. At the ends of the bottom of the "wings" were huge silver bells that jingled whenever she moved. On her feet were skin tight blue boots and she once again had the metal fans in possession, but they were two times larger and stronger. Along the open side were spikes, meaning she could just use the fans to attack.

"Himitsu-Ai." She said seriously as she continued to glare at her opponent, determined to cut out the hollow that was dirtying her beloved's body.

Snakehead looked on in shock and disbelief, which quickly turned to anger. "If you've shown your true strength," he said seriously. "I might as well too."

He then positioned his zanpaku-tô so the tip of the blade was pointing to the ground and the hilt was at the same height of his waist. "Slither Serpiente." He said and a thick green fog wound its way around his lower half first, and then his top half. When the fog dissipated, Tsuki saw that he had an emerald green snake's tail instead of his legs. His shirt was gone and scales had appeared here and there on his upper body. On his head was a snake's skull with fish fin "ears", and even the scars that Byakuya had left long ago.

He smirked while holding his sword which had changed into a heavy blade with a green stripe running along the middle of it. He slithered forward and attacked her, but she blocked his attack with her fan. Suddenly a slimy greed liquid squirted out of the tip of his blade and the liquid headed towards her face.

Immediately she used shunpo to duck out of the way before it could hit her. From a good distance away, she saw the effect it would have had on her. As the liquid hit the ground, a hissing was heard and it left burn marks on the ground. Snakehead chuckled while turning to face her with a smirk.

"You're lucky that venom didn't hit you." He said while showing off the blade. "If the venom even touched your skin, it would leave holes in that pretty body of yours."

Sweat ran down the side of Tsuki's face as her gaze went back to the burnt ground. Then she looked to the arrancar again. _'If I get hit by that venom, it'll be over for me,' _she thought with determination as she looked on. _'I'll have to get him before he squirts that liquid at me then.'_

She found that she couldn't really attack at her fullest with her fans, so she made them into two claymores, exactly the same as before. She rushed forward quickly and slashed at him but he backed up, squirting more venom from the tip of his blade as he slashed diagonally. She flash stepped out of the way and moved to behind her opponent.

She was about to attack again when Snakehead pointed the sword at her again and the venom came out, nearly hitting her. She backed up quickly, and discovered a small hole in her sleeve where a droplet of venom hit. Her eyes widened with surprise while she noticed that the drop of venom had nearly hit her. Would this venom ever run out? It was possible… But Tsuki had no time to figure that out. She had only a little more than forty minutes before her bankai would end.

Tsuki then became a little more eager in her actions as she slashed at him blindly and dodged whenever venom was shot at her. Every time she missed, and her attacks grew stronger and stronger, but she continued to miss him. Soon her forty minutes was up, for her sword had grown heavier for each minute that passed.

"You're attacks are getting slower." Snakehead commented triumphantly. "Is your sword getting heavier? Are you going to give up and let me kill you?"

"Never!" she shouted out after thrusting her claymores into the ground. "Get ready, because I'm not quite sure what's going to happen!"

Because she had stuck her weapons in the ground, he took the opportunity to attack before something happened, but he was too late. A pale yellow force had come out of the swords and hit him square in the middle, defeating him. But that wasn't it. The force then continued outwards a few more miles, becoming weaker as it went.

When it was all done, Tsuki kneeled with exhaustion on her face. That last attack had drained her of nearly all of her reishi. She looked on as her claymores had gone back to its original form and the arrancar's body became human-like again.

"It's finally over…" she said half to herself with relief. She was about to give in to her exhaustion when she heard Kioku's voice again. He called for her by name and she crawled over hesitantly, thinking it was another trap.

"Tsuki…Tsuki, It's really me. There's no need to be cautious…" he continued weakly. "The hollow is gone and I cannot move." She approached and saw in his eyes that it really was Kioku. She was about to ask how this happened and he stopped her, saying that he didn't have much time left.

"Have you told my family…of my fate?" he asked and she shook her head with tears in her eyes as she held him in her arms.

"Please would you tell them for me? I also want you to have…this." He then pulled a locket out of one of his pockets and handed it to her.

"This…This is your precious treasure…" she said before she pushed his hand away. "I can't have this!"

"It doesn't have any more purpose for me." Kioku told her. "Not for where I'm going. And I don't want you to grieve for me. I want you to be happy…and to be with the person you've wanted to be with all this time…"

"I've only had feelings for you since you proposed to me." Tsuki explained.

Kioku shook his head and said to her, "No Tsuki. I knew you had feelings for Byakuya, even after I proposed. I thought, after a while, you would give all of your heart to me, but deep inside, I knew…that you wouldn't…" – he let out a shuddering breath – "I just want to tell you one last time…that I love you…"

He then closed his eyes and exhaled one last time. Tsuki wasn't ready to let him go, as she shouted his name and shook him as the tears flowed down her face.

When she realized that he was indeed dead, one last tear left Tsuki's eye, flowed down her face, and landed on Kioku's. She then kissed him softly on the lips – something the couple never did because Tsuki wasn't ready – and whispered, "Farewell…" as her fiancé turned to dust and scattered in the wind. She then lost consciousness and fell forward, still clutching the locket he had given her.

* * *

**It's so sad that Kioku died like that… I just put him in and he's only really in a couple chapters. That's why I've decided to give him justice and write the spin-off fanfic from his view, as he meets Tsuki, tries to gain her love, gets killed, receives a second chance but has to fight a hollow, and then ends as he draws his last breath to tell Tsuki that he loves her. I can't wait to write it!**

**By the way, between the time I wrote this and now, I drew a scene from this chapter and you can go see it in the Bleach folder of my gallery on deviantart (link to my DA profile is on my profile here!) if you wish to see it!**


	20. A New Day, a New Problem

Nearly a couple of weeks later, Byakuya and Renji got the news that Tsuki had awakened from her coma. After sending Renji on his way to pick her up, Byakuya's gaze turned to the locket he found in her possession and got to wondering…Did she really encounter Kioku? It had to have happened because when he opened it he saw a picture of the two of them. She did not have the locket with her before then. He finally decided he would have to ask her himself. Thinking about the locket once more, he remembered what had happened when he found her…

* * *

_**The battles had been fought and Ichigo was sent to the world of the living to confront Aizen. All was peaceful and all the captains were doing was waiting, so Byakuya decided it was time to go and retrieve Tsuki. As he made his way to the room where he left her, he felt uneasy. He had felt this ever since he sensed a spiritual pressure equal to a captain's over in her direction.**_

_**It rose and was really strong, even Ichigo had felt it from where he was. What was even odder was that remnants of a large kido based attack found its way across the sands of Hueco Mundo and branched out for several miles not too long after that. Then the spiritual pressure of this person just disappeared.**_

_**For some odd reason, he thought this was Tsuki's doing. It couldn't have been anyone else's, for the rest of the captains were in the world of the living. He finally decided as he narrowed his eyes. As soon as he would see her, he would demand an explanation. **_

_**He walked into the room to find an injured Tsuki face down on the ground, unconscious, and her zanpaku-tô stuck in the ground a few feet from where she was lying. Upon further investigation, Byakuya found a piece of jewelry – a locket – in her right hand. He bent down and picked it up, turning it over in his hand.**_

'_**Tsuki never had something like this.' He thought as he narrowed his eyes.**_

_**He opened the heart shaped capsule, finding a photo of Tsuki and Kioku in one side and a photo of an unknown blond female – most likely Kioku's sister – in the other. He closed the locket and gripped it firmly in his fist, then loosened his grip. It was that feeling again; the same one he felt when he discovered she had a fiancé. What was it? He couldn't put his finger on it…**_

_**He went deep into thought and then realized this wasn't going anywhere. Byakuya turned her around gently so she was lying on her back and then turned to sheathe her zanpaku-tô before picking it up. He then picked her up, holding her bride style and turned to go back to where the others were. But someone stopped him at the exit – a certain battle crazy captain.**_

"_**So Kishin's the one who was the source of that immense spiritual pressure." Kenpachi commented while Byakuya ignored him, walking right on by and exiting the room. The captain of the eleventh division followed close behind.**_

"_**What does it matter to you?" Tsuki's captain asked with annoyance.**_

_**Kenpachi grinned like a crazy person while he laughed a little before replying, "From what I sensed, she's strong. I want to fight her and see for myself just how strong she is!" This angered Byakuya, but he said nothing.**_

_**The two were silent until they approached the others.**_

"_**Tsuki-chan!" Rukia exclaimed as she came up to meet them. She took a look at her wounds and became worried, saying, "Is she okay?"**_

"_**She is unconscious." Byakuya answered simply while standing Tsuki up so Rukia could carry her. "Take her to vice-captain Kotetsu so she can heal her."**_

_**His younger sister nodded, taking Tsuki's arm and draping it over her shoulder before taking the injured shinigami to the safe zone to get healed…**_

* * *

"Here she is Captain." Renji announced after entering the room with Tsuki, bringing Byakuya from his thoughts. "She made less of a fuss this time too."

"Cut that out, Renji." The female in question said as she crossed her arms. "You're making me feel like a criminal you've captured."

He was about to make a comeback when Byakuya spoke, stopping him from doing so. He told him, "Thank you Renji. You may go now. I wish to speak with Tsuki alone."

The vice-captain left obediently, but only after he shot a small glare at her. Though she didn't notice, because she was wondering why her captain had suddenly started leaving the honorifics off her name. She was quite surprised that she almost didn't hear her captain say, "You may approach, Tsuki."

"Oh, right," she said before hesitantly walking up to the desk.

Almost at once she noticed the locket laying there on the surface and continued, "So that's where my necklace went. I'm so glad I didn't lose it in Hueco Mundo." She smiled sadly, which unsettled her captain a little.

"I assume you've encountered Kioku Shimazaki there?" he asked after a few moments of silence.

"Yes…but he was possessed by a hollow." Tsuki answered sadly. "I had to defeat him which turned him back to normal. In the end he passed on…" – she paused and moved on to other matters – "Did Ichigo defeat Aizen?"

"He's been caught and locked up indefinitely." Byakuya informed her seriously. "The other two captains who followed Aizen died in battle."

She looked down and away, and her captain noticed the hurt look on her face, becoming slightly angered. That man who betrayed Soul Society just made his own path and didn't care who he hurt in the process.

But Byakuya decided not to dwell on that. After all, there was something else that he wanted to know more than anything. "I noticed that you have a bankai." He mentioned casually. "How long have you had it?"

She looked up with a surprised expression on her face and didn't want to answer, but she nodded nonetheless. "For some time now." Tsuki added shyly. "I had to defeat my opponent, and that seemed like the only way."

"You should know that Captain Kenpachi is expecting for you to fight with him." Byakuya commented seriously.

"I was worried about that…" she said in response with a scared look on her face. "Captain Kurotsuchi didn't say anything about it, did he?"

To her surprise and great relief, her captain told her that he didn't. Well that was one less crazy captain she had to worry about. She just had to avoid Kenpachi as best as she could.

"Do you have any intention of showing your bankai?" Byakuya asked her to continue the conversation.

"If it's okay with you," Tsuki said quickly. "I would like to keep it a secret, at least for a little while longer. I'll show it when I'm ready."

Her captain wasn't exactly happy with this, but he decided to respect her decision. For a long while the two were stuck in a slightly awkward silence until Tsuki asked the question that had been itching in the back of her mind.

"Captain," she started hesitantly with a concerned look on her face. "Am I…still in the division?"

"Once again you have gone against my orders." Byakuya started with a frown and Tsuki prepared for the worst. "…But if you hadn't arrived in Hueco Mundo at the right moment, Rukia would have lost her life. I am deeply grateful and you may start your work again-."

"I'll start tomorrow." She said quickly with happiness. She saw the agitated expression on her captain's face and continued hesitantly, "If that's okay with you, Captain Kuchiki…"

"Very well," he agreed after sighing. "I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning, Tsuki."

The next morning Tsuki couldn't wait to get back to work after being bedridden, so she arrived at her captain's office not too long before he did.

"Good morning, Captain Kuchiki!" she exclaimed with happiness, slightly startling the captain who walked through the door. "I'm ready for whatever work you give me."

As Byakuya walked over to his desk to get to his own work and to address the third seat, he thought, _'She has arrived earlier than Renji ever did …' _– his eyes narrowed as he took his seat at the desk – _'It would do him some good to follow her example…'_

"Is…something wrong, Captain?" he heard her ask with concern, bringing him back from his thoughts.

"No, nothing is wrong," he told her before going on to more important matters. "I want you to go on hollow patrol in the north Rukon district. Renji and I are busy today, but you may take whomever you like."

"All right. Count on me!" Tsuki agreed with determination before turning to leave. She was about to go through the door when her captain stopped her.

"Tsuki," he said to her with a concerned look upon his face. "Be careful." For a moment she was a little speechless and surprised, but then she gave him a bright smile and told him that she would before leaving the room.

That afternoon, Tsuki's small team of five soul reapers – including herself – had come face to face with a large hollow on the outskirts of a nearby town.

"Don't back down!" she shouted out to encourage the others. "Stand your ground and be careful everyone!"

The other shinigami in her team nodded and started to attack the garish creature. A few minutes passed and soon the tables were turned. Half the team was injured and it was up to Tsuki to continue battling their foe. The hollow screamed to instill fear into the female soul reaper, but she stood her ground.

'_This hollow is more clever than I thought…"_ she considered after evading an attack from her foe. She then ordered that the injured soul reapers back away and shouted out, "Help me protect my loved ones, Tsuyoi-ai!" just in time to block another attack with her fans.

She needed to go on the offensive to defeat the hollow and she put her fans together, but nothing happened. She looked at the fans with shock and tried again. Once more, nothing happened.

"What's wrong Tsuyoi-ai?!" she asked while staring at her zanpaku-tô. Suddenly the hollow swung an arm at her and she jumped backwards to dodge its attack. "Hadô fifty four, Haien!" Tsuki shouted, and a blast of purple colored spiritual pressure hit the hollow, thus defeating it.

As she panted while watching the hollow disappear, one of her team suggested that they return to report in. Tsuki agreed, and they all headed back. "You guys get the injured to the fourth division barracks." She told the others once they arrived. "I'll report to the captain."

She then walked down to his office and entered, finding that he was seated at his desk, just like that morning. He sensed that she had come into his office and asked, "How did the patrol go?"

"Half of the team got injured, but we defeated the hollow." She answered uncomfortably. "Something weird happened though. Tsuyoi-ai released just fine when I used shikai, bur when I tried to make the sword, it wouldn't respond…" – Byakuya looked at her with a shocked look on his face – "Tsuyoi-ai is pretty stubborn sometimes, but this is the first time they haven't listened to me during a battle."

This was very intriguing to her captain, and it got him thinking about what happened earlier when he and Renji were sparring. His gaze turned to his hand, and Tsuki noticed it. "Captain Kuchiki, your tekkou has a cut on it." She commented with worry. "What happened?"

"Nothing," he replied quickly, hiding the hand she was concerned about. "Get back to work." She continued to look at him with worry, wanting more than anything to ask again until he told her, but she knew that he wouldn't answer.

She left the office hesitantly and as she strolled to her office, she thought of how weird Tsuyoi-ai and Byakuya were acting. _'How odd…These happenings…'_ she thought while gazing at her zanpaku-tô. _'I hope I'm the only one having these problems with my zanpaku-tô…'_

Little did she know something bigger and much worse was going to happen that night…

* * *

**A little fun fact: I was all for writing the Zanpaku-tô arc, but there are a lot of pros and cons to writing along using an anime. Let's just say it was a challenge to write but I had fun doing it anyway!**


	21. The Zanpakuto Rebellion

"A meeting at Sokyoku Hill?!" Tsuki asked with surprise after the hell butterfly relayed the message to her, Byakuya, and Renji. _'What is the Head Captain thinking?'_ she continued in thought while Renji and Byakuya stood.

This invitation seemed insane, but no one could ignore it. After all, it was from the Head Captain. She rose too and the three of them headed off to the Hill despite the fact that it was at a late hour. They were one of the first groups to arrive, and soon enough everyone was present. All of the captains and vice-captains were there, except for the captain and vice-captain of eleventh division. Instead, Yumichika and Ikkaku came in their place, or at least that's what Ukitake had assumed. Even Rukia was there, feeling a little out of place and Tsuki felt that too.

"You're here as well Tsuki-chan?" Ukitake asked curiously as he approached her.

"Yes, I was surprised to hear that I was to come tonight." She replied with concern while her gaze was on Rukia. "Even Rukia-chan's here…"

'_How odd.'_ She thought as a thick fog came up, surrounding all the soul reapers and making everything seem eerier. _'Where is the Head Captain? Shouldn't he be here by now?'_

Suddenly Renji made some comment about the "stupid fog" and something else was heard.

"Someone's coming!" Tsuki mumbled half to herself as the sound of someone crossing the bridge echoed throughout the place.

After a few minutes the sound stopped and everyone looked to the bridge to see…

"Vice-captain Sasakibe!" Hisagi shouted out with surprise.

"Where is Head Captain Yamamoto, Sasakibe?" vice-captain Iba asked, concern in his voice.

Everyone expected him to answer, but he just stood there, saying nothing. He then fainted and fell to the ground. Unohana and Isane rushed over to treat the vice-captain as all of them looked on in shock, until someone else approached.

They all turned around, seeing a peculiar looking man. He was tall and thin with pale skin and dark brown hair that was slightly messy. The few bangs of his dark brown locks crossed over the bridge of his nose between his light turquoise colored eyes. Around his eyes was a kind of purple colored make up which was pointed a little at the bottom. He wore a white robe like coat which looked like an arrancar's clothes. Tied around his waist was a white sash with a horizontal purple stripe in the middle and on his shoulders was a thick lilac tinted fur. Around his neck he wore a purple ascot fastened by a ruby broach and on his feet were boots with pointed toes.

"I'm sorry but the Head Captain will not be joining us tonight." He informed all who were present.

Komamura stepped forward and loomed over the newcomer, but he wasn't affected. "What have you done to Head Captain Yamamoto?" the wolf captain asked, anger underlying every word he spoke.

The newcomer said nothing and made the captain angrier. He asked once again, but the stranger still wouldn't say anything. Komamura drew his zanpaku-tô and the stranger told him that his attacks would be useless. The angered captain used his bankai anyway and the huge armored being known as Kokujô Tengen Myô-oh brought up its sword to attack. But it didn't hit the stranger; it tried to hit the captain. As the captain dodged, he canceled the bankai and his subordinate rushed forward to help him, but Yumichika stopped him. Suddenly a strong wind came from the direction the stranger was. The winds became stronger and nearly blew everyone away.

Soon it died down and someone was standing in front of Komamura. He was at least two stories tall and had muscular red skin. His hair was blue and it spiked at the top. His eyes were like fire and he wore a pale cloth robe with black bands on his wrists. In his hands was a black rope which flamed on the ends and fire came out of his mouth.

The captain stood up and asked who this being was. All the red skinned creature did was blow a few flames from out of his mouth and Komamura knew it was Tenken, his zanpaku-tô. Suddenly the being called Tenken lashed out and attacked his owner with the rope. Komamura evaded the attack and slashed at Tenken, but the zanpaku-tô counterattacked. The rope wound its way around on of the captain's wrists and for a minute or two, the two struggled, Komamura growling. Tenken succeeded in pulling the captain closer and slashed at him, making him fall to the ground in defeat.

Everyone was frozen in shock. How could a zanpaku-tô attack the soul reaper it belonged to? Suddenly Captain Hitsugaya and Soi-Fon tried to use shikai to attack but nothing happened.

"That's impossible!" Tsuki shouted out with disbelief, her hand now on her zanpaku-tô's hilt. "Help me protect my loved ones, Tsuyoi-ai!"

Nothing happened, it just stayed the same. Others tried as well, but theirs didn't do anything either. Everyone who had tried to use shikai now looked at their zanpaku-tô, asking what was wrong with them.

"It's simple. You and your zanpaku-tô are no longer one." The stranger spoke, bringing his hand to his face. "I have freed them from your control."

His right eye then began to bleed tears as he then brought his hand out and explosions occurred in some of the streets of the Seireitei. Momo yelled out for the man to stop, and he told her that it wasn't his doing; it was their zanpaku-tô destroying the soul society.

Tsuki and everyone else watched with worry in her eyes as the alarms went off and more parts of the Seireitei were destroyed. "This is only a preview, a small demonstration, so that you may be able to understand how powerful my comrades are." The man told them before a few more materialized zanpaku-tô appeared next to him. "Cast your eyes on their true forms."

Suddenly a man clothed in blue robes with icy claws came out from behind Hitsugaya and walked over to the stranger. The same happened to Byakuya; the man who came out from beside him was clothed in purple with armor on. A few more appeared and walked towards the man who stood before them, including…

"Tsuyoi-ai?!" Tsuki exclaimed with shock as a young man wearing a dark blue yukata and silver armor walked out from beside her. "Wait!" She was then about to follow him to stop him when he pointed a claymore at her face.

"I'm not on your side anymore." He told her before withdrawing his sword and continuing on his way to stand beside the stranger.

'_Tsuyoi-ai…'_ she thought as she fell to her knees in defeat before realizing something. _'Wait, where's the other half?'_

She looked around, but couldn't find the other half to her zanpaku-tô. Byakuya then walked forward and asked who the stranger was. "I am called Muramasa." The man replied with a smirk. "And today marks the end of the soul reaper's control of the zanpaku-tô. From now on the zanpaku-tô will reign over the soul reapers."

He then brought out a small sword and stuck it into the ground, making several pillars rise from the ground. And there all the zanpaku-tô stood, superior to all the shinigami present on Sokyoku Hill. It was now Shunsui's turn to step forward and ask his question about the Head Captain not being there.

The man called Muramasa told him that they have locked him away and that his zanpaku-tô didn't want to join him. He then went on to say that Shunsui's, Ukitake's, and Unohana's zanpaku-tô sealed him away with their reiatsu.

"That's not possible." Soi-Fon stated aloud. "You can't seal him away."

"You can't expect all of us to believe what you've just said." Shunsui told Muramasa.

"It doesn't matter if you believe me or not; it's reality." The man replied with a smirk.

Suddenly Ikkaku jumped up and attempted an attack on Muramasa, but it was blocked by the man who came up from beside Hitsugaya. "Conversing is a waste of time at this moment!" he shouted out for everyone to hear.

Others joined in to attack the zanpaku-tô and Tsuki watched as they failed to get any hits in. Soon it was an all-out battle, and Tsuki didn't feel like joining in. She was still a little shocked by what Tsuyoi-ai had said to her. So she stayed put, watching her comrades try and fight off their enemy. After a few minutes, Shunsui and Ukitake suggested that they escape, but Muramasa wasn't having any of it.

Ashisogi Jizô appeared in bankai form to prevent all who were trying to escape and so did Zabimaru. The huge snake bankai was about to shoot a beam of red light and everyone used flash step to get out of the way. Tsuki appeared again a good distance away on a roof to watch a huge pillar of light blue energy shoot up into the sky.

'_I hope everyone got out alright…'_ she thought before looking for a hiding place. Someone was standing there before her though, ready to attack. "Tsuyoi-ai!" she exclaimed, seeing her zanpaku-tô standing there.

He stood a head taller than her with orangey brown hair that was tied in a ponytail at the nape of his neck and blue colored eyes. He wore a dark blue yukata that went down to his knees and had the right sleeve cut off at the shoulder. It was loosely tied at his waist, showing his whole chest, which was bandaged halfway up. On his shoulders, elbows, and around his wrists was silver armor and he wore the same kind of armor on his legs. He looked at her as if he didn't know her any longer.

"Tsuyoi-ai!" she said again to try to get through to him. "Where's your other half?"

"How should I know?" he said in response seriously. "All I know is that it feels great to be free." He then attacked her and she had to quickly untied the ribbon on the hilt to draw the sword to protect herself.

"This isn't like you!" Tsuki said to him as they struggled with their swords clashing. "Please come back to your senses!"

He then used his strength to throw her back and she bounced back onto another roof. Tsuyoi-ai walked over to her and smirked. "You're useless without your captain to protect you." He told her before turning his gaze to something else. "And now your captain is powerless, too. Look."

Tsuki looked over to where her zanpaku-tô was gazing and saw Byakuya disappearing in a cloud of pink colored blades before they smashed into a building. "NO! CAPTAIN KUCHIKI!" she shouted out before getting knocked out by her own zanpaku-tô.

* * *

**Yet another interesting fact: The Zanpaku-tô arc is actually my most favorite filler arc in the Bleach series. In fact, I almost wish that Tite Kubo had done the arc in manga, but the anime is just as good. Anyway, I enjoyed seeing all of the true forms of the characters' zanpaku-tôs and their unique personalities.**


	22. Shocking Discoveries and Truths

Tsuki spent the next day trying to find the place where her captain had disappeared. It took her a few hours because so much happened that night and she couldn't quite remember, but she found the place soon enough.

"This is it," she said while sensing the area for traces of spiritual pressure. "There have been others here before me. They must have been investigating here before me, but I can still feel Byakuya's reishi here, clear as a bell." Memories of last night came flooding back and she remembered what had happened after her captain had disappeared…

* * *

"_**See? All your captain did was run." Tsuyoi-ai told her while pinning her to the roof top. "And now he's gone forever."**_

"_**NO!" Tsuki shouted at the top of her lungs. She stood up quickly and started to swing her sword at the man, but all he did was dodge all of her attacks.**_

"_**You should know better than to attack like that." Tsuyoi-ai stated with a smirk on his face as he continued to dodge attacks left and right. "Being reckless in battle will get you killed." She glared at him and he saw another volley of attacks coming, but she fell onto her knees instead. Suddenly she started to sob and her zanpaku-tô's face fell.**_

"_**You're so weak," he continued with a frown. "I can't believe I'm your zanpaku-tô…" – he paused and waited for a reaction, but didn't get one – "Man, this is boring. I'm leaving this place."**_

* * *

Tsuki gritted her teeth and tried to hold back the tears that had poured down her face that night. She had lost her zanpaku-tô and her captain – the two things she held dear. Her captain might have vanished, but she would find him no matter what.

"I can't sense him anywhere else but here though…" she said to herself before tensing up and looking around, her hand on the hilt of her zanpaku-tô. "Someone's watching me…"

Tsuki tried to pinpoint the source of the presence, but it seemed to be moving continuously, as if the one watching her didn't want her to find them out. After a few minutes, the presence disappeared and Tsuki eased up a little. Once she was sure she wasn't being watched anymore, she took her zanpaku-tô and undid the ribbon around the hilt. She then tied it on the scabbard and put it back around her waist.

'_I can't use my shikai anymore, so it's better if it's like this.'_ She thought to herself. _'Now I'm ready if a zanpaku-tô spirit attacks me…'_

She was about to continue looking for her captain around the area, but stopped short, because she felt an immense amount of reishi coming from sixth division. As soon as it appeared, it vanished, and Tsuki decided to go see what happened.

When she got there, she had to hide herself and her spiritual pressure so no one could suspect. But what she saw was interesting. Ice was everywhere, and in the ground was a large crater. In the crater were two people dressed in white. One of them was Muramasa, no doubt about it. The other was a beautiful woman with long white silky hair.

'_That must be a zanpaku-tô, but whose?'_ Tsuki wondered as she then spied Ichigo and Rukia. Rukia was lying on the ground, as if she had been fighting and lost, and Ichigo looked like he was conversing with Muramasa. Tsuki listened in to what they were saying.

She tried her hardest to hear what they were saying, but couldn't hear much of anything, until…

'_What? Did he just say he's a zanpaku-tô?!' _she asked herself with shock, which then turned to curiosity. _'Whose zanpaku-tô could he be then?'_

While she was pondering, Muramasa and Ichigo disappeared and the woman stayed for a moment. Tsuki noticed the woman looking her way and hid, hoping she wouldn't see her and after a few minutes, she disappeared too.

"Phew, that was close." Tsuki said to herself while coming out of hiding and going into the crater to check on Rukia. She saw that Byakuya's sister had sustained many injuries from the battle she was in. She was currently unconscious, so Tsuki decided it was best to carry her to the fourth division barracks to get treated.

"What's happened to Rukia?!" Natsuki asked with surprise after Tsuki arrived with Byakuya's sister in her arms and unconscious.

"I think she fought her zanpaku-tô, but I can't be sure." Tsuki replied while laying Rukia on a nearby bed so they could treat her. "I arrived just as Ichigo left with the enemy. Probably to face him in battle."

"Ichigo-kun is here?" Natsuki questioned further with excitement this time as her eyes lit up.

"What's all this about Ichigo?" someone asked from the doorway. The two females turned to see vice-captain Isane standing there.

"Ah, vice-captain Isane!" Natsuki stuttered nervously. "Tsuki-chan came here with a request and…" She was about to explain about Rukia but Isane had already seen her on the bed.

"You found her, Tsuki-chan?" the vice-captain asked, concerned for the unconscious soul reaper.

"Yes, I found her injured pretty badly in a large crater. I think she battled with her zanpaku-tô and lost." She answered seriously. "But I'm not sure because I came when the battle ended. Ichigo was there too, and Muramasa. The two of them left before I took Rukia here. They're probably fighting but I don't know where."

"Is that all the information you have?" Isane asked. The third seat nodded and she continued, "Right. Thank you, Tsuki-chan." – she turned to Natsuki – "I'll take care of Rukia-chan. Will you continue the rounds Natsuki?"

The blonde shinigami saluted and left, while Tsuki asked if she could stick around for a while. The vice-captain gave her permission, so she left as well and caught up to Natsuki.

"Have you found Captain Kuchiki yet?" Natsuki asked to start off the conversation.

"No, we have some search parties still looking around for him and there's still no sign." Tsuki told her before starting to ponder. "But something doesn't seem right…It's almost as if he's concealing his spiritual pressure."

"You're right…" her friend agreed, now pondering as well. "But why would he want to hide?"

"I know the answer…" a familiar voice was heard from the windows. "But I won't tell you!" The two looked and saw…

"Tsuyoi-ai!" Tsuki exclaimed, surprised to see the man standing on the window sill. "What do you want now?"

Natsuki hid behind Tsuki as she grabbed the hilt of her sword while her zanpaku-tô stood there smirking. "I've been itching for a rematch since last time." He told her. "You think you can keep a cool head this time?"

"I don't want to fight you, Tsuyoi-ai." She said in response.

Her zanpaku-tô frowned before telling her, "I don't think you have a choice."

He shot forward and slashed at her with his claymore sword, but she blocked the attack. Since it was a small hallway, she was smashed against the wall and Natsuki shouted out with surprise. A crowd started to form as well and the third seated officer had to make up her mind, quick.

"Fine! I'll give you the fight you're craving!" Tsuki shouted while drawing her sword and slashing at her zanpaku-tô. He dodged by flipping backwards through the window and she followed. The two clashed swords in midair and continued slashing and blocking each other until they landed a ways away from the barracks.

"I'm glad we aren't fighting in the hallway." Tsuyoi-ai stated as he had a stare down with his owner. "I don't like to be confined in small spaces."

"You were never confined!" Tsuki told him. "You had lots of room in my world! I depend on you and believed in you! Why won't you come back?"

"Because I want to be free!" her zanpaku-tô shouted out angrily while attacking. She blocked him again, and while the two were linking swords, she gave him a look of concern. "What is that look for?" he asked as he swung his sword, making Tsuki fly backwards.

"You've wanted to be free…all this time?" she asked him with the same expression still on her face. She lowered her sword and continued, "Well, you're free now. I won't stop you. But just remember that I've always treated you like family…"

Tsuki then sheathed her sword and started to walk away, but Tsuyoi-ai shouted out for her to stop. "Wait, Tsuki-chan!" he said, and she looked back to see his expression had softened and he was just like he used to be. "I-."

He then stopped short and grabbed at his head in pain. Tsuki rushed over to see if he was alright when Tsuyoi looked up with anger. "You're in my way!" he continued while slashing at her. "I can only be truly free if I-."

He stopped once more and tensed up, looking around. She did as well and thought to herself, _'It's the same as before! Someone's watching!'_ Without any warning, Tsuyoi-ai left to go look for the one watching them.

Tsuki relaxed and was now wondering what had happened earlier. _'Did he return to normal just then?'_ she wondered before returning to the fourth division barracks.

"Ah! My dear Tsuki-chan~!" Shunsui exclaimed as he leaped towards her when she rounded the corner. She took a side step to evade his pounce and he landed on the ground face first. It was then that he continued, "Still playing hard to get I see~!"

She gave him a cold stare and then her gaze turned to Ukitake, softening. "Ukitake-sempai!" she greeted the captain happily. "Where are you headed to?"

"We're about to have a meeting about the zanpaku-tô." Shunsui replied after standing up.

"May I join?" Tsuki asked with importance. "I might have some information you need."

"Of course." Ukitake said with a smile. "We've asked Ichigo and Renji to attend too."

And so the three of them headed to the meeting room, where Unohana and Ichigo were already waiting…

"So the zanpaku-tô are being controlled by Muramasa?" Unohana asked once Ichigo had finished explaining what happened to him.

"It's not as simple as it sounds. And the zanpaku-tô aren't brainwashed. Muramasa amplifies the frustration that the zanpaku-tô feel and draws them to his side." Ichigo replied seriously. "The only way to bring the zanpaku-tô back is to fight them and make them submit."

Ukitake was glad that they found a way to take the zanpaku-tô back, and Shunsui was apprehensive, saying that it would take a while for them to find their respective zanpaku-tô and make them submit.

Tsuki went deep into thought about what happened to Tsuyoi-ai earlier. Unohana picked this up and asked her what was wrong. Tsuki looked up and answered with concern, "Well earlier I fought my zanpaku-tô and when I told him I always treated him like family, he went back to normal, but only for a second. I was just wondering whether or not to fight him to make him submit. Maybe I can just reach out to him with my feelings…"

"That could possibly work," Ukitake commented with thought. "After all, your zanpaku-tô works based on your feelings, but as for the rest of us..."

At that point, Renji came in after knocking with a couple people – if you could say that – behind him. One of them looked like a woman with long wild rose colored hair that went down to her knees. There were black streaks resembling Renji's tattoos in some parts of her hair and she had green colored eyes. She wore a furry green body suit, which covered most of her body except for her tummy and the middle of her chest. Around her waist was a black chain which connected her to the other person's collar.

The other one looked like a little boy who had red hair that was short and framed his face and had blue colored eyes. He wore a white jacket with yellow trimmings which was cut short to reveal his middle. The sleeves were really long and he also wore puffy shorts with the same colored trims. He was currently using his tail – which looked like a snake's – as a seat.

"You said you needed me?" he said after entering.

"We heard you regained control of your zanpaku-tô." Ukitake commented. "You may have information that we need."

"Well, Zabimaru said they don't remember anything." The red head stated in response. He then turned to his zanpaku-tô and asked if they were sure they didn't remember anything.

The woman said, "Nope," in a burly voice while the kid started to complain that he was hungry.

Tsuki was surprised at the woman's voice and the kid's behavior. _'They seem like a handful…' _she thought as an argument escalated between the woman and Renji and the kid continued to complain and tease his owner. _'And I can just barely handle mine. Renji, I feel sorry for you.'_

The little kid then grabbed Renji's head, saying he was a baka and the red headed vice-captain could only take so much. "Why don't you just return to normal?!" he asked with aggravation, trying to pull the snake kid off his head.

"I wouldn't be able to tease you then." The kid told him with a smirk.

That was the last straw for Renji. He grabbed for the kid, but he jumped off and started to run around the room. He dared Renji to chase him and the red head did. For a while the two ran around the table and Tsuki tried her hardest not to laugh at them, but she stopped as Renji hit the table.

"My, isn't he lively." Unohana commented with a smile, for he was facing her as he lay there. "This is the fourth division barracks, so please don't run around like a child, vice-captain Abarai." She then gave him her famous scary look and Tsuki looked on in horror.

The meeting then finished and Tsuki went back to the sixth division barracks to rest. But before going to bed that night, she could've sworn she saw her captain off in the distance standing atop a tall tower…

* * *

**Before the meeting started…**

**Ichigo: Yo…uh…What was your name again?**

**Tsuki: You really don't remember me? I'm Tsuki Kishin, the one who helped you to save Rukia…**

**Ichigo: Oh! Right. Thanks for your help and uh…sorry I'm bad with names…**

**Tsuki: You remembered Renji and the others though!**

**Ichigo: We only saw each other briefly then.**

**Ukitake: Can we get this meeting started?**

**Ichigo & Tsuki: Uh…Yeah.**


	23. Byakuya's Betrayal

The next morning, Renji and Tsuki received the most shocking news. Ichigo had told them about what happened that night and he told them that Byakuya had joined the zanpaku-tô, thus betraying the Soul Society.

"What did you just say?!" Renji shouted angrily as he took ahold of Ichigo's shihakushô.

"This can't be true!" Tsuki stated with shock. "It must have been someone else that you saw."

"Now, now," Shunsui told the two of them. "You both need to calm down."

Renji turned to the others, still holding onto Ichigo and said that their captain would never betray them and that he must have had a reason for changing sides. It was now Ichigo's turn to speak as he stated seriously, "I don't know if he has a reason or not, but that doesn't change the fact that Byakuya is the enemy now."

For a moment Renji was silent until he let go of Ichigo and walked over to the window. Ichigo sat down in the remaining chair and Tsuki sighed, relieved that the tension in the room had gone for now.

"The Head Captain has mysteriously disappeared and Byakuya's gone and turned traitor. I wonder, what's going to happen next?" Shunsui pondered after a moment of silence.

Ukitake then mentioned that Hitsugaya had gotten his zanpaku-tô back, but he wouldn't be well enough to go into battle so soon. He also went on to say with concern that everyone was taking too much damage in their fights. Tsuki was also worried for those who were involved in the rebellion and got themselves injured. Her expression changed though when Unohana shared the information she had with them.

"Captain Kurotsuchi has been experimenting on the zanpaku-tô that we've managed to capture," she told them with a sense of importance. "He's found that if someone other than the owner defeats the zanpaku-tô, it is highly likely that the zanpaku-tô will never return to normal."

Everyone looked at her with slight surprise and Ichigo asked what they should do if they encounter another's zanpaku-tô.

"We're just going to have to hold back on zanpaku-tô other than our own." Shunsui suggested.

"But we can't afford to go easy on them." Ichigo said with concern.

Tsuki agreed with him on that and added, "It wouldn't be a fair fight considering they fight with their all either."

Shunsui then went to wondering that the enemy might have originally wanted them to fight their own zanpaku-tô. His vice-captain, Nanao, then suggested that they should keep the information about Byakuya's betrayal within the circle of captains, but Shunsui opposed her idea.

"How will we tell Rukia, then?" Renji asked with concern.

Tsuki looked away with the same expression on her face. She didn't want to be the one to break the news to Byakuya's own sister. It would be heart-breaking for the both of them. But Ukitake stepped forward and told all of them that he would let her know. The meeting was then disbanded and everyone went to do their own business.

Later that day, Rukia visited the squad station and from then until night she looked through Byakuya's office for any clues. Tsuki wasn't able to see her, as she was holed up in her own office doing paperwork and writing up reports. She had just finished with the last paper on her desk when she heard the clang of swords and wood being cut.

'_What is that noise?'_ she thought to herself as she stood up and grabbed her zanpaku-tô before slowly exiting her office to investigate. _'Could it be another zanpaku-tô attack?'_

She paused and when she rounded the corner, she felt the spiritual pressure of her captain. She then ran the rest of the way and found him standing there before Rukia, who was holding her broken zanpaku-tô.

"Captain Kuchiki!" she said with happiness, but then her face fell as she saw that he wasn't wearing his haori and that armored zanpaku-tô from before was with him. "What's going on?"

The armored zanpaku-tô spirit was currently in a struggle with Renji, who was protecting Rukia, so Tsuki came to the conclusion that the zanpaku-tô spirit tried to kill Rukia. The red headed vice-captain then slashed at his armored opponent, but he just dodged backwards. Renji then took the opportunity to confront their captain.

"What's wrong with you? Are you on their side?" he asked with anger. Byakuya said nothing, so Renji pointed his sword at him and continued, "Captain Kuchiki, you're under arrest for being a co-conspirator of the Zanpaku-tô Rebellion."

"But Renji!" Tsuki shouted with worry. She was about to continue but he cut her off and said that it was no use and that he was the enemy now.

"He's the one who caused all this damage!" Renji shouted out. "And he let his zanpaku-tô attack Rukia!" He then rushed forward and slashed at the captain, who blocked the attack. For a moment the two struggled until Byakuya moved his sword and trapped Renji's in the corner of the window.

Renji was about to use shikai, but Byakuya told him that he shouldn't be able to use it. The vice-captain gritted his teeth and everyone heard a familiar voice through the wall saying that he could.

'_Zabimaru!'_ Tsuki thought as the snake kid and monkey woman came crashing through the wall. The two went to attack Byakuya, but his zanpaku-tô, Senbonzakura blocked it.

"I'll take care of them." He told his owner while still blocking. "You go back to Muramasa."

The two zanpaku-tô spent a few minutes clashing with each other. While the kid had him occupied, the other kicked him through the wall. The kid went out and soon after the woman followed. With everything going on outside, Byakuya turned to leave, but Renji stopped him. Like their zanpaku-tô, they fought each other, clashing in the hallway and then disappearing through a hole in the wall to continue their battle outside.

From inside, Tsuki could hear everything. _'They're wrecking the place!'_ she thought to herself with slight annoyance. She then turned to Rukia and asked if she was okay. "Are you hurt?" she asked again because she didn't answer at first.

"I'm okay," she said softly, still holding a firm grip onto the broken zanpaku-tô.

Suddenly there was a big crash outside and the two females ran out to see what had happened. Renji was lying on the ground, looking as if he had blown himself up doing kido again and Byakuya was a few feet away, unscathed. Rukia ran over to Renji to see if he was okay, but Tsuki stayed where she was, gazing at her captain.

"What has gotten into you Captain Kuchiki?" she asked softly with worry and then raised her voice so he could hear. "This isn't what the Byakuya I know would do!"

For a moment he gazed at the three of them, but then he told them to stay out of the rebellion.

He was then about to leave when a group of zanpaku-tô spirits appeared near him.

"Aren't you gonna finish them off?" a black zanpaku-tô with black bandages on asked with a smirk.

"It looked like you were having a blast." Another commented.

Senbonzakura then approached and asked what they were doing there. He seemed to be surprised, as if the other zanpaku-tô joining wasn't planned.

A zanpaku-tô clothed if peacock feathers was the one to answer. "Muramasa told us to come and help." He said simply as the black zanpaku-tô then stepped forward with weapon in hand. "Let's kill these shinigami!" he suggested.

The zanpaku-tô then surrounded Tsuki, Renji, and Rukia. The vice-captain was hurt, and Rukia was still recovering from her wounds, so Tsuki had no choice but to protect the others.

She drew her sword and so did the zanpaku-tô, ready to attack but then other soul reapers from the second division appeared and surrounded the zanpaku-tô. Soon after Soi-Fon, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Kira, and Ichigo arrived on the nearby rooftops.

Soi-Fon then announced that Byakuya and the zanpaku-tô were arrested and Tsuki thought that everything was going to be over. But the zanpaku-tô wouldn't go without a fight. The black zanpaku-tô spirit was the first to jump over and attack two soul reapers, knocking them down. The others followed suit and soon it was a repeat of what happened the day the rebellion started. Soon nearly all of the shinigami from the second division were cut down and the seated officers and captain had to step in to fight.

Everyone had gone except Ichigo. He jumped down and asked if the three of them were okay.

"Don't worry; we're all tough as nails!" Tsuki stated with determination, making the others smile. "Thanks for coming when you did. If you hadn't come I would've had to face them all myself."

Ichigo smirked, then faced Byakuya, telling them, "Don't worry, I'll make them come to their senses."

He walked forward, grabbing his zanpaku-tô and Senbonzakura came out to meet him. Since Senbonzakura had stepped forward to fight Ichigo and they were now clashing, Byakuya decided to make his leave. Once again, Renji stood in his way with his sword ready to attack.

"You think you can stop me?" his captain asked indifferently.

"Not without us!" Zabimaru exclaimed as the two of them climbed out of a heap of rocks.

Suddenly a huge explosion occurred from Ichigo and Senbonzakura's battle and Renji clashed swords with Byakuya once again…


	24. Kenpachi's Arrival!

Soon after the explosion, Renji fell back, defeated once again. Ichigo and Senbonzakura were still off somewhere continuing their fight. If Byakuya was going to try and leave again, it would fall on Tsuki to stop him. Rukia ran over to Renji and pleaded with her brother to stop what he was doing.

For a while he said nothing, and it was so silent in the area that you could hear the sounds of the other fights occurring. But all of them halted for a moment, because a yellow beam of light shot up into the sky and a familiar maniacal laugh resounded through the area.

'_That pressure…It's Captain Kenpachi's!'_ Tsuki thought as she shielded her eyes from the light. _'Where has he been all this time?'_

Once the pressure had died down everyone looked, and there he was, looking around. He stepped forward and noticed Ichigo, telling him he looked like he was having a rough time.

"You're late." Soi-Fon remarked from where she was standing.

"It's not my fault Yachiru and I got lost while fighting hollows." Kenpachi said in response. "But I got here as fast as I could, so I can have some fun before you defeat all of them."

He then smirked and asked if anyone left him someone to fight. No one said anything so he just decided to pick someone to fight with. Suddenly a zanpaku-tô attacked from behind, but the blade didn't scratch him. Kenpachi looked over his shoulder and grabbed the zanpaku-tô, turning and slashing the spirit in half. The spirit then turned back into a broken blade and fell to the ground.

"Whoa… Amazing." Tsuki mumbled with surprise. "So that's what happens when someone other than its owner finishes off a zanpaku-tô."

"Who's next?" Kenpachi asked aloud after turning around. "Which one of you is the strongest?" His gaze fell on each of the zanpaku-tô, then to Tsuki, who shook her head furiously. Finally his gaze fell on Byakuya and he smirked. He had picked his opponent.

Kenpachi was about to clash with the opponent he chose, but Senbonzakura stepped in front and used bankai to protect his owner. The captain of squad eleven didn't even bat an eye as the blades swirled about. Finally he reached up for his eye patch and pulled it off, releasing the reishi he had kept bottled up by the patch.

But that wasn't all. He shouted, "You weaklings and zanpaku-tô better get out of the way!" and ran forward to strike down the zanpaku-tô spirit that stood in his way. Yet another explosion went off, and yellow colored energy enveloped everything, crushing the buildings nearby and making the others fly back.

When the dust settled from the explosion, only two remained standing: Byakuya and Kenpachi. The captain of eleventh division put his eye patch back on and smirked at the man he faced.

"So you released that massive wave of spiritual pressure to blow everyone away." Byakuya told his battle crazy opponent. "It must have taken a great toll on your body."

For a while Kenpachi still smirked, until he heard something from a nearby building and said, "Seems like it didn't blow everyone away."

Byakuya's eyes narrowed for a moment but another louder sound from the same building made him turn his head. He then looked on with surprise to see Tsuki climbing out of the rubble, panting.

"That's some…spiritual pressure you…have, Captain Kenpachi…" she stated between her bouts of panting.

She then stumbled forward slowly until she stepped out of the debris and fell to the ground. For a moment she lay there, but then she struggled and sat up, holding her injured arm.

"Can't…move…anymore." Tsuki mumbled and Kenpachi gazed at her.

"You're even tougher than I thought, Kishin. Now I definitely want to fight you!" he said with a laugh before facing Byakuya again. "I'm gonna have to wait since you're wounded, but I've got this guy to beat first."

He then ran forward and clashed swords with Byakuya. A wind uplifted and Kenpachi laughed once more as his opponent used shikai. The captain of sixth squad then jumped back and directed the blades to attack Kenpachi. The battle crazy captain just batted them away like nothing and used a bit of his spiritual pressure to knock him down.

Byakuya however, blocked the attack with his zanpaku-tô and then used shunpo to finish Kenpachi off by stabbing him in the back, but he blocked it. Byakuya, who was mildly surprised, quickly regained his composure and pulled back his sword. It was then Kenpachi's turn to attack, and he did, but Byakuya used shunpo to dodge.

The captain of squad eleven then did a flurry of attacks on his opponent, but all Byakuya did was dodge every single attack. Finally Byakuya used shunpo, and was gone for a few moments. Kenpachi looked around, and at the last moment he turned and backed away, just dodging another attack from behind.

'_Ah!'_ Tsuki thought after Kenpachi raised his arm, revealing a cut on his forearm. _'A few seconds slower and he would've had a deeper wound.'_

Despite the wound on his arm, Kenpachi attacked once more. Byakuya dodged his first attack, and used shunpo to get away from the second attack. He then slashed at Kenpachi, but he grabbed the sword. Tsuki and Byakuya were surprised by the wild captain's actions, but Byakuya narrowed his eyes as he tried to free his zanpaku-tô from his iron grip.

For a while he struggled until Kenpachi, smirking, slashed at the trapped captain of sixth division. Tsuki gasped in horror as a pillar of dust went up and when the dust had settled, she sighed with relief. Though she was still worried for her captain, who was panting with a wound on his shoulder.

But he wasn't going to give up just like that. He used shikai once again and backed away, trapping Kenpachi in the thousands of blades. When the petal like blades subsided, the wild captain was panting but unscathed.

"Leave me be." Byakuya told him before turning away. "Or I really will kill you next time."

Kenpachi laughed before stating in response, "Then come at me with all you've got!"

Tsuki held her breath until Byakuya faced him again and agreed. The two were about to start their fight again when the ground started to shake. At that time, Rukia and Renji came running up and something large came looming over the dilapidated buildings. It had a yellowish colored baby face and the body of a caterpillar.

'_That's…'_ Tsuki thought to herself with shock as she gazed at it with horror. _'Konjiki Ashisoji Jiz__ô__, Captain Kurotsuchi's bankai!'_

For a moment the creature hovered in the air, but then it dove into the ground between the two captains. Immediately it then began to release its poison and Tsuki had nowhere to go. She couldn't move away from the poison cloud that slowly creeped towards her. So she closed her eyes and waited for the fog to envelope her and waited for the toxins to go into her body. But instead she felt something knock her hard at the back of her neck and she blacked out…

* * *

**So about the last two chapters... I accidentally sent them on Monday, but I don't think that really matters. I was also going to submit on Tuesday and just say the ones on Monday were extra, but I forgot to. Anyway, submitting will (hopefully) go as planned until the end of the fanfic. Thanks!**


	25. Tsuyoi's Return

"Ah, I can't move! Someone-!" Tsuki yelled out as she sat up but suddenly stopped, holding her breath so the poison wouldn't get to her. But there was no poison, for she was in a totally different place. "Huh? Where am I?" she continued while looking around. "I'm in a forest? How did I get here?" – she suddenly felt a pain in her neck and reached up to rub at it – "Ugh, my neck hurts…Wait! Someone must have hit me and taken me here! But who…?"

Suddenly she heard a sound in the bushes and immediately her hand went for the hilt of her sword. She thought it might be Tsuyoi again, back for yet another fight, but it wasn't. A woman walked through the bushes and faced Tsuki with her arms crossed.

She stood a couple inches taller than Tsuki and had her long light brown hair up in a ponytail. Her deep-blue colored eyes peered from under her long bangs which were brushed over to the left side of her face. She wore a silver breast plate under a kimono-like skirt which was tied with a light blue sash and opened slightly, revealing one of her legs. She wore skin tight black shorts under the skirt and silver armor on her knees and calves. On her feet were the same boots as Tsuyoi, but with blue colored leg warmers around the ankles. On her left shoulder, elbows, and around her wrists were the same silver armor that Tsuyoi wore and draped over her shoulder – and coming from under the breast plate – was a sky blue cape. Around her neck was a dark blue choker with a blue ribbon over it, tied in the back and had silver bells hanging off of it. She seemed to be peering into Tsuki's very soul as she looked at her.

"So you're awake." she suddenly said with a smile before approaching.

For a moment Tsuki was speechless, and her eyes narrowed as she backed away, asking with suspicion, "You…don't want to fight me?"

"Of course not! Do you think that man with the long nails could control me? Please!" The woman said with a burst of laughter. "I'm not as gullible as my dumb brother! Who do you think I am?"

Tsuki relaxed and asked where she had been all this time. Ai told her that she was watching her from the first day when she found herself away from Tsuki. "My brother nearly found me that day when he ambushed you at fourth division." She continued. "I almost thought he would catch me!"

Suddenly overwhelmed with relief that the other half of her zanpaku-tô wasn't on the other side, Tsuki rushed forward and hugged the one who had watched over her from the sidelines. Ai smiled warmly and sighed at first, but then became fidgety and said with a slight frown, "Come on, you know I'm not the mushy type!"

"Sorry Ai-chan…" she said after pulling away from the hug. Her zanpaku-tô asked why she called her Ai-chan and she continued, "Don't you remember? It's to tell you and your brother apart."

"I don't wanna have a sissy name!" Ai complained as she crossed her arms. "It suits my brother better. Give it to him."

"But you're the female. Others will make fun if your brother has the girly name." Tsuki told the stubborn woman, who was muttering something about Ichigo. "Anyway, are you the one who brought me here?"

"Nope. I just found you a day ago lying on the ground." Ai replied. "And I decided to protect you until you woke up. Then I would reveal myself to you."

"Did you see who left me here then?" Tsuki asked further, curious to know who saved her.

Once again, her zanpaku-tô said no and the shinigami crossed her arms in a huff. "But one thing's for sure, I'm never going to forgive that stuck up captain of yours because of what he's done to you." Ai said aloud after a few moments angrily. "If I ever see him again I'm gonna punch that stupid pretty boy face of his!"

Tsuki smiled warmly with sadness while her zanpaku-tô suggested they get out of the forest. And so the two of them started their trek out of the woods. Not too long after they started, the two females arrived in a clearing of trees. There waiting for them was…

"Tsuyoi-kun!" Tsuki shouted out as the two of them saw the male half of her zanpaku-tô standing there with claymore sword in hand.

"You're quite the persistent one, brother." Ai said while stepping forward to protect her owner. "Won't you ever leave us alone?"

"Why do you protect her? Didn't you hear Muramasa?" Tsuyoi asked with his eyes narrowed at his sister. "Or are you on the soul reaper's side instead…?"

"What are you going to do about it? Bring me to a side that has no real objective?" Ai said to him in response. When Tsuyoi frowned with surprise, she smirked and continued, "See, your Muramasa doesn't really want freedom for the zanpaku-tô. I've seen everything and I believe he has a hidden objective. I'm not yet sure what, but he's been using you and the others as pawns."

Her brother told her that she was wrong; that Muramasa freed them so they could rule over the Soul Society. He was becoming angry and soon he would attack.

"Are you asking for a fight?" Ai asked with an angered look on her face. "Because I'll certainly oblige. You do know what happens when we clash right, brother?" – he gulped with sweat pouring down his face while looking on with shock – "All hell will break loose. Now are you sure you want to do that?"

For a moment he stood there frozen in shock until he shouted that he didn't care. "You've made the wrong decision then…" Ai told him seriously as a couple of fans appeared in her hands. She was about to start a battle with her brother when Tsuki stopped her.

"Wait!" she shouted out with worry. "I don't think you should be fighting!"

Ai looked back at her owner and said, "Someone has to turn him back to normal and you haven't had much luck in your fights with him. Would you rather fight him again?"

Tsuki said nothing, so Ai turned to face her brother once more. "You ready?" she asked and Tsuyoi became serious, nodding with his eyes narrowed.

Faster than lightning, Ai ran forward and thrust a fan into his face, but at the last moment, he dodged. He then backed away quickly and rubbed some blood away from a fresh cut on his cheek.

'_So fast!'_ Tsuki thought as she watched Ai change her fans into the same claymore that Tsuyoi held and attacked again. _'Is this what she means when the two of them clash?'_

Suddenly Tsuyoi was knocked back into a tree, breaking it in half and Ai laughed a bit before asking, "Is that all you got? You're still as weak as ever…"

"I'm…not…finished yet." Her brother said slowly as he stood, panting. "I'm still as tough as you…" He then clashed swords with her once more and they struggled.

"Why don't you just turn back to normal?" Ai asked while the two of them still clashed.

"I am normal!" her brother shouted out.

"No! That Muramasa is controlling you." She told him with a growl. "And I'll snap you out of it!"

She then overwhelmed him and slashed again, making him lose his balance. When he backed up, she attacked again and managed to knock his sword out of his hand. It landed a good distance away, right next to Tsuki. Tsuyoi looked on in shock and then glared at his sister, who stood high and mighty with a victorious smirk on her face.

"Now your hell has come brother…" Ai said as the smirk on her face turned to a vicious smile. She then creeped forward and took a firm hold of Tsuyoi's neck.

'_Here it comes…'_ Tsuki thought as Ai brought her free hand up. Suddenly she made a fist and started to knuckle her brother's head hardly with it.

"Wait a minute!" she shouted out after running up to the two of them. "Is this…?"

"Yup!" Ai replied as she continued with what she was doing. "This is what he gets after he goes against his older sister."

Tsuki looked on in shock as Tsuyoi started to ask her to stop. "I give! I give!" he shouted out as he struggled against her grip. "Please let me go!"

"Not until you go back to normal!" his sister told him as she knuckled him even harder.

"I am! I am back!" he said tears coming up in his eyes now. "Ow, that hurts!" Suddenly Ai let go of him and he dropped to the ground. She then grabbed his collar and stared at him, seeing if he was telling the truth.

"I can't believe you!" she shouted after examining him and seeing that he was in fact, telling the truth. "You've been yourself all this time?"

"Is this true, Tsuyoi-kun?" Tsuki asked with surprise.

"Not totally. Muramasa did take control of me," he answered sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. "But when you spoke to me with your heartfelt words, it made me falter and had me thinking if staying on this stranger's side was the best choice. After trying to find Ai-chan and failing, I thought about lots of things that night, and decided to find you."

"If you had already been released from Muramasa's control, why did you fight your sister?" Tsuki questioned further with concern.

"I was…putting on an act." He replied hesitantly. "But that's not what we should be worrying about. We need to go to the world of the living, because that's where Muramasa has gone."

For a moment the two females were silent, until Ai closed her eyes and sighed. "Well, we better get going." She said while looking at her brother. "But when we get back, expect the worst punishment ever."

At first Tsuyoi was scared, but decided to accept it. For now, the three had to head to the Senkaimon to get to the world of the living…


	26. Welcome Back

Once they arrived at the Senkaimon, Tsuki and her zanpaku-tô saw Byakuya standing there with Senbonzakura, preparing to travel to the world of the living. As the three of them hid from sight, Tsuyoi commented that Muramasa might have already left.

As she watched her captain waiting with his zanpaku-tô, Tsuki wanted more than anything for him to be back on their side. _'Why did he choose to side with Muramasa?'_ she asked herself while sighing.

Ai turned to her and asked what was wrong. Tsuki quickly said it was nothing and without warning, Byakuya gazed over to where they were hiding.

"Oh snap!" Tsuyoi exclaimed in a whisper as they hid behind the pillar as best as they could. "Has he seen us?"

"I hope not!" his owner replied.

For a while it was silent, until they heard Senbonzakura ask, "Is there something wrong?" They could hear nothing from Byakuya, and Tsuki could feel his gaze on them.

"It's nothing." He finally answered. "Let's go." The two of them then entered through the gate.

"That was a close one…" Tsuki stated as they all relaxed and emerged from their hiding place.

Ai, however, growled and shouted, "I wouldn't care even if he caught us. I would just beat him to a pulp!"

Tsuki sighed while Tsuyoi suggested they wait a while before pursuing them through the gate. Soon they entered as well, and once they got to the world of the living, they hid in the bushes, watching the scenes that unfolded.

Muramasa did indeed have a hidden objective, because he had released the seal on his owner, Koga. When he tried to attack his own zanpaku-tô, Byakuya came out and faced Koga. The others tried to enter the battle too, but at that time, Senbonzakura stopped them. He told them that it was Byakuya that had to stop Koga.

The others asked why and Senbonzakura explained that on the day of the rebellion, Byakuya made him submit. Byakuya had heard of Koga and Muramasa from his grandfather and decided to research them further. When Byakuya had found nothing, he joined Muramasa to learn more.

"How bogus is that?" Ai said to the others she was hiding with. "I still won't forgive either of them, especially your captain!"

As the other two continued to watch, they saw Muramasa plead for Koga to use him in his fight against Byakuya. Koga then went to say that he couldn't use his zanpaku-tô and said that Muramasa was only a tool. He then broke the sword he held in his hand and faced off with Byakuya.

As the two of them started their battle, Tsuki's attention was brought to the distraught Muramasa as he then was enclosed in a dark red and black reishi. _'What's happening?'_ Tsuki thought to herself with horror as she continued to watch.

Suddenly, as Muramasa became more and more out of control, millions of Hollows and quite a few Menos Grande appeared around the area. Tsuki saw as Ichigo began to fight them off to get to Muramasa. It was then that she decided to help out.

"Come on Tsuyoi-Ai!" she said as she stood up and walked out to encounter the hollows. "Let's help out!"

Her zanpaku-tô agreed and the three of them started to fight off some of the hollows and Menos. Soon some back up came because millions of blue arrows rained down on quite a few of the hollows, defeating them. Ichigo and Tsuki looked down to see Uryû with his bow in hand, firing more arrows to help out.

"Hey, it's Uryû! I thought he lost his powers…" Tsuki commented with a smile as two others approached. "There's Orihime and Chad, too!" Tsuki waved to them and Ai told her to focus.

When she brought her gaze back to the hollows and Muramasa, the reishi that had enveloped him had become a black ball of energy. The ball of energy then began to absorb all of the hollows around it and it grew bigger as the sky became darker.

"Tsuki!" Tsuyoi stated as he faced her and Ai. "We should get back down to the ground! I have a bad feeling about this!"

His owner nodded and the three of them started to descend to the ground. As soon as they landed, there was a huge explosion that came from the ball of energy. There was a strong wind and dust was thrown around while Tsuyoi-ai held on to Tsuki for dear life, protecting her. When the wind died down, Ai looked up and saw that the dust had cleared, revealing…

"No way!" Ai shouted as they saw the thing before them. "Is that…_thing_ really Muramasa?!"

"More like what used to be Muramasa…" Tsuyoi answered as all looked at the beast before them.

He wore white colored armor from his head to his waist, and looked a lot like a hollow. His hollow mask was shaped like a stag beetle's with long horns and he had red eyes showing through the slits in the mask. His arms were now slender and had long curved blades protruding from his elbows. Around his neck was some fur and his "skirt" remained unchanged except for a couple of furry purple bits hanging on each side of his waist. In the middle of his torso was his hollow hole, surrounded with what looked like pointed teeth.

Suddenly hollow Muramasa roared, and as he did, his spiritual pressure increased, making everyone kneel down from the heaviness of it. He then relaxed and without any warning, rushed to the group and attacks Ichigo with such force that he throws Ichigo far off into the distance. The hollow then continued to go for Ichigo, now intending to kill the teen.

Uryû stepped forward at that moment and started to shoot arrows at the enemy, but Muramasa dodged them and started going for the quincy instead. Uryû was surprised, but nonetheless continued to shoot barrages of arrows at him. The hollow still dodged and his target changed; he was now going to attack Rukia and Orihime.

Before he was within meters of the two females he targeted, Chad rushed forward and shielded the attack with his right arm's powers. The sword got stuck in the shield and Chad brought the enemy over his shoulder, throwing him a safe distance away from the girls. Muramasa wasn't going to give up so easily, and he used his hand to slow himself down and stopped there. Suddenly Ichigo dropped from the sky and landed an attack on the hollow, which turned up some more dust.

When the dust cleared, Tsuki saw that the two had clashed swords and were now struggling against each other. Once more Muramasa threw Ichigo back, and this time he stopped himself and stood, ready to attack or block again. The hollow didn't attack Ichigo, however. A blue aura appeared around Muramasa and he brought his fist up to shoot a cero. A blue shot went straight for the two females and everyone was frozen in horror.

Suddenly a pink cloud came out of nowhere and blocked the attack but it didn't stop there. The cloud then attacked Muramasa as well, causing another explosion. When everything cleared up, Tsuki looked to see her captain standing where the "pink cloud" had come from.

"I knew it was him…" Ai commented with her arms crossed as some of the others approached him. "He's such a show off…"

More than anything Tsuki wanted to run over to her captain too, but decided against it. He had, after all, hurt her when he joined the zanpaku-tô and she was unsure of how he would treat her now.

Suddenly Byakuya gazed over at her and she looked away, flustered. Ai scoffed and started making faces at the captain she so despised while Tsuyoi tried to stop her. Tsuki felt that he wanted to speak with her, but there was no time for that.

The captain then faced hollow Muramasa, who gave another roar and for a moment he looked as if he had lost control of himself. Everyone prepared for the worst, but the hollow stopped and said in his own voice that he won't give in. Tsuki and the others watched in worry as Orihime ran forward and threw her arms out, pleading for him to stop fighting. For a long while the enemy did nothing and she approached further, slowly this time.

So far Muramasa did nothing, until he lost control again and attacked the one who stood closest to him. Orihime quickly used her power to protect herself, but was thrown back. Rukia ran to her side and when the hollow attacked again, Ichigo was there to block it with his zanpaku-tô.

They struggled for a moment, but Ichigo overpowered him and threw the enemy back with a slash of his zanpaku-tô. Once Muramasa landed a few feet away, the orange haired soul reaper ran up to his foe and attacked again. Muramasa dodged the first attack, and then the two of them clashed again and again until he rose into the air.

Everyone then took cover as he then shot a whole volley of blue cero bullets at Ichigo and the area around him. For a moment he was concealed by dust and dirt until he cleared it away. He then brought his hand up to his face and took his hollow mask out and put it on.

Ichigo then darted up to Muramasa and as the battle continued in midair, Tsuki thought with surprise and curiosity, _'The last time I saw him like that he went out of control. I guess he's managed to use it for good purposes.'_

She continued to watch as hollow Muramasa shot another cero. Ichigo countered with his black Getsuga Tenshô, which not only stopped the cero but wounded him as well. The deep wound went from Muramasa's shoulder to his waist, but he didn't even bat an eye as he then healed himself.

Once the healing process had finished, he roared and a pillar of red shot from his body and into the sky. "Oh no!" Tsuki shouted out with worry as she gazed into the sky which was becoming dark. "This is bad! A garganta is opening up in the sky!"

Ichigo tried to stop him, but it was kind of late, because more hollows emerged. He defeated some as he came closer and closer, but the amount of hollows increased and even some Menos came to join as well.

"Come on Tsuki!" Ai said with determination as the three of them faced the hollows. "Let's finish these scum!"

Her owner nodded and they all started to defeat one hollow after another while Ichigo got close enough to Muramasa. The orange haired soul reaper used Getsuga Tenshô once more and cut the foe in the same place as before. But once again, the cut healed itself and he suddenly began to change shape. As he got bigger and bigger, blobs shot out of his body and rained down, finally becoming a dome shape. It then swallowed Ichigo up and made even more hollows appear.

"Look, it's getting bigger!" Tsuyoi commented while his gaze turned to the crack in the sky. "And the garganta is growing as well!"

"What are we going to do?" Tsuki asked, continuing to defeat the hollows around her.

A glimmer of pink caught her eye and she saw Byakuya and Senbonzakura finish off the Menos around the place. For a while she stared at him until Ai turned her owner's head to the enemies they were supposed to be fighting.

"Don't get sidetracked!" she ordered firmly. "Keep your focus on the task at hand."

"R-Right." Tsuki agreed hesitantly but with determination. The three of them continued the battle, and when nearly all of the Menos were defeated, more emerged from the dome.

"If they keep coming like this, we're going to lose! We need support!" Tsuki stated as something caught her eye. "Oh no! A Menos is going after Orihime and Rukia. I'm too tied up at the moment and so is Byakuya! It's too late!" As the Menos was about to shoot a cero, its whole body froze and it was defeated.

Tsuki watched some more and standing there protecting the two females was the woman in white Tsuki saw before. Then suddenly a whole bunch of soul reapers and their zanpaku-tô arrived as well.

"So this is where you've been, Tsuki-chan." They heard a familiar voice behind them and turned to see a smirking Renji with Zabimaru standing beside him. "And I see you got your zanpaku-tô back. They look pretty ordinary."

"They might look ordinary," Tsuki started with a smirk.

"But we pack a pretty big punch!" Ai finished. "But enough chat! Let's get moving before more hollows come back!"

"She's a little demanding, isn't she?" he asked as Ai left to go defeat some hollows and Tsuki giggled a little.

All of her focus was now on the battle at hand as she continued to fight and the others joined in. However, none of their actions were making the situation any better, as the garganta continued to widen and call forth more Menos.

"This isn't doing anything! We need to try and close the tear in the sky." Tsuyoi suggested to Tsuki. "Look, your captain has already started to do so."

The three of them looked over along with everyone else and sure enough, there was Byakuya and Senbonzakura, trying to close the enormous tear in the sky. "They'll lose all of their reishi before even coming close to closing the garganta!" Tsuki said with concern as she looked around, seeing that everyone else was just standing by. She then looked back at the tear in the sky with determination and Ai knew exactly what her owner was thinking.

"You're going to help him." She voiced her thoughts while crossing her arms with a sigh.

"If no one helps, his spiritual pressure will run out and the tear will remain open." Tsuki stated in response as she increased her reishi. "I don't care if you'll help or not, but I've decided to help my captain…Even though he did betray us…"

For a moment, Ai was silent, and she gazed over to Tsuyoi to see that he was looking at her expectantly. She sighed and rolled her eyes as he told her that he wanted to help too, but couldn't do it without her. She gave her hand hesitantly and he took it, the two of them increasing their spiritual pressure as well.

'_This will be the only time that I will help you, Byakuya Kuchiki.'_ She thought, gazing at the captain with anger in her eyes.

After a few minutes, the others started to increase their own spiritual pressures until the tear was finally closed. Everything then went silent as the dome suddenly started to grow more and more.

"What's happening in there?" Tsuki asked half to herself as it stopped and cracked, a blue glow coming out of them. "Will Ichigo be okay?"

"He's gotten this far," Ai commented. "Surely this won't do him in." Everyone then shielded her eyes as the glow became brighter and the dome exploded, pushing everyone back.

"Tsuki…Tsuki!" she heard Tsuyoi call out and regained consciousness.

"What did I miss?" she asked as she sat up and looked around. There was a mist and everyone was scattered.

"You've only been out a minute or two." Ai said, gazing at the island in the middle of the pond. "Muramasa's disappeared. See?"

She pointed to the sky and there was a blue dust rising to the clouds. When the light had disappeared, it started raining. As it got harder, Tsuki said slowly, "I guess it's all over now…"

"And now it's time to return." Tsuyoi told her with a smile. "Wait, you're leaving?!" his owner asked with shock.

"We're just returning to our sword form. We'll still be with you!" Ai said seriously. The two of them started to glow a deep blue and disappeared, going back to the sword tied at her hip.

"Welcome back…" she said with a smile and the Zanpaku-tô Rebellion drew to a close…

* * *

**So that's the end of the canon stuff, and from here on to the end is my own. Interestingly, towards the end, starting from this chapter, writing the last chapters were hard for me, as I was a little at a loss at what to write, and I didn't want it to end. But the story lives on in my mind, and hopefully I'll put it to paper and write about Tsuki's life as it continues...**


	27. A Deadly Truth Revealed

A week or so passed and the zanpaku-tô business had not yet finished. In fact, everyone's zanpaku-tô spirits came back, and a new kind of spirit called the Tôjû started cause havoc in the soul society when everything had returned to normal. Various Tôjû had decided to show themselves; they were defeated, and then sent to the Mayuri so he could experiment on them. Seeing Tsuyoi-ai back had surprised Tsuki and she thought that she was in some kind of dream…

_**It was early one morning and Tsuki woke up, hearing something in the other room. 'Who could that be?' she asked herself, slowly picking up her zanpaku-tô and standing. With her hand on the hilt of her sword, she walked into the next room to see…**_

"_**Tsuyoi-ai?!" she said with shock, seeing the two making themselves at home. "When did you appear? I thought you said you were 'going back'."**_

"_**Oh, hey Tsuki-chan." Tsuyoi greeted with a smile as the both of them gazed at her.**_

"_**We're just here temporarily." Ai answered her owner's question. "That crazy captain of twelfth company brought us back just for fun." – she sighed and crossed her arms – "He really creeps me out though…"**_

"_**You're not the only one…" Tsuki commented with a shudder and the three of them burst into laughter.**_

Just remembering what had happened a week ago made Tsuki giggle.

"What's up?" Ai asked after sipping her tea.

Tsuki had a day off that day and the three of them were relaxing in her room having tea, chatting about whatever came to mind.

"Are you remembering something?" Tsuyoi questioned further.

"Yes, I was remembering what happened last week when I discovered you hanging out here…" Their owner replied, trailing off. Suddenly her face went into slight shock and she continued, "Aw man…"

"What's wrong now?" Ai asked.

"Could you two do a favor for me…?" Tsuki questioned with pleading eyes.

Ai took one look at Tsuyoi and commented, "Somehow I have a bad feeling about this."

"I knew it!" Ai shouted as she stomped through the hallways of sixth division, Tsuyoi following close behind. "I knew it was something I didn't want to do!"

"All we have to do is get her sketchbook, right?" Tsuyoi said. "It isn't all that bad…"

"Yeah, but there's a high probability that we'll run into the captain." His sister explained as they rounded the corner and entered Tsuki's office. "And you know that he and I don't see eye to eye." She grabbed the sketchbook, which was lying on top of the desk, and left the room.

"Oh, great…" Ai muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Good afternoon, Captain Kuchiki," Tsuyoi greeted politely. "and to you as well, Senbonzakura."

"Is Tsuki doing well?" Byakuya asked casually.

"What do you care?" Ai said with anger. "You never cared before, why should you care now?"

"Ai-chan…" her brother said with concern, trying to stop her from saying anything negative to him. But Byakuya wasn't going to let this go…

As soon as Senbonzakura was going to say something about not talking to his owner like that, Byakuya stopped him. "What are you saying?" he asked with eyes narrowed at her.

"Just what I meant." Ai answered. "How do you care when all you've been doing is hurting her?" Byakuya had nothing to say and so she continued. "You don't remember? How about the times when you pushed her away," she said. "Or when you told her she couldn't go see if Kioku was in Hueco Mundo."

"I said that to protect her." He stated.

"What you said hurt her, and yet she forgave you. She treats you like you're someone special," Ai continued to put him down. "And how do you treat her? Like the dirt you walk on!"

"Ai-chan, you're going to far…" Tsuyoi said as he tried to calm her down again.

"No, someone needs to tell him!" she snapped back, angry now. "Tsuki loves you!" – Byakuya looked at her with surprise – "She wants to tell you, and when she tries, you just push her farther and farther away. Soon it'll be too late."

"Why is that?" the captain asked, keen to know.

"Even if I tell you, you can't stop fate…" Ai replied as she turned to leave.

She was about to when Byakuya stopped her by grabbing her wrist. Ai faced the man she despised once more with anger, ordering him to let her go. "Not until you tell me what will happen to Tsuki." He told her while keeping a firm grip.

For a moment Ai was silent with her head bowed. When she showed her face, tears were flowing from her eyes. "You really want to know? Tsuki is going to die!" she finally said and Tsuyoi gritted his teeth. Byakuya's eyes narrowed and Ai continued, "And there's nothing you can do about it! Even now her reishi is waning…"

The captain slowly lessened his grip on her wrist and she snatched it away. He couldn't say anything more, but Senbonzakura asked for him, "How do you know this?"

"I'm sorry, we've said too much." Tsuyoi replied as he guided Ai away. Both Byakuya and his zanpaku-tô were silent as they watched Tsuyoi-ai head back to their owner.

"Ai-chan, you need to watch what you say…" Tsuyoi explained once the two of them stopped a safe distance away from the division next to a tree.

"Sorry… My tongue slipped…" she said slowly, trembling as she looked up to her brother. "But it's the truth. Tsuki _will_ die, it _will_ be our fault, and there's _nothing_ we can do to change her fate!"

"We've gotten ourselves into a bigger mess now…" Tsuyoi commented after sighing. "Someone other than us now knows… I wonder what Byakuya will do to prevent it..."

Suddenly Ai growled and shouted out, "All of this is his fault! Every time I see his face I just wanna tell him off and…" She trailed off and got so angry she punched the tree next to her. The impact was so great that the tree cracked and fell over. For a while the siblings were silent, until Ai shrugged and said it wasn't her problem. "And what do you mean about Byakuya?" she continued by asking.

"Well he's the only other who knows. We haven't even told Tsuki." Tsuyoi replied as the two of them headed back to Tsuki. "He might try to prevent Tsuki's death, if he cares that much for her…"

The next day Tsuki was back in her office doing paperwork with her zanpaku-tô spirits just hanging around doing nothing.

"You don't have to stay with me all day…" she suggested while taking a break. "Why don't you go take down some Tôjû?"

"For one, Zabimaru and Senbonzakura take care of most of them," Ai replied from her spot on the floor. "And I don't want to have to encounter that crazy captain again."

"Besides, we want to stay at your side." Tsuyoi added with a warm smile.

Tsuki returned the smile and at that moment the door opened. She looked up and saw Senbonzakura standing there. "Yes?" she asked curiously and he walked in.

"My master would like to speak with you," he replied dutifully. "And Ai-san, too."

"Great…" she muttered as she sat up while her owner gazed at her.

"What have you done now…?" she asked, standing up and facing Senbonzakura.

"You'll find out when we get there." Her zanpaku-tô said before they headed down the hallway, leaving Tsuyoi in the office.

The two females followed Senbonzakura to the captain's office and walked up to the desk. "What did you need, Captain Kuchiki?" Tsuki asked while Ai looked away with her arms crossed.

For a minute Byakuya was silently working until he stood up and faced them. "Yesterday I was walking around the grounds when I came across a broken tree." He said as he looked out the open window behind his desk. "Care to explain?"

Ai was shocked but regained her composure. "So what if I got a little angry and punched one of your trees?" she said. "You have enough money to get a new one."

"Ai-chan," Tsuki stated as she gazed at her zanpaku-tô before turning back to her captain. "I'm sorry for my zanpaku-tô's behavior."

"Your zanpaku-tô spirit cannot control her anger." Byakuya said after turning to face the two females. "I suggest you keep a tight leash on her."

"Well that sounds easier than it looks, captain." Tsuki stated in response. "But nonetheless I shall-."

"I can do what I want. I'm a free spirit." Ai interrupted before grabbing Tsuki and turning to leave. "And if you have a problem with that, well you can just forget it. Cuz I don't listen to people like you." And so she left with a protesting Tsuki, making sure to stick her tongue out at the captain before exiting the room.

For a moment he was silent, and when he sat back down to continue his work, he muttered to himself, "She's just as stubborn as Tsuki was when we went to the academy together…"

"Did you say something, master?" Senbonzakura asked curiously.

"No, it was nothing." Byakuya answered simply. As the captain continued his work silently, Senbonzakura could've sworn he saw a small smirk on his master's lips…


	28. The Days Leading to a Coma

In the days to come, Byakuya kept a close eye on Tsuki, for he was worried about her fate. He never revealed what Ai had told him that day, and he still acted normally so no one would suspect anything. Though whenever she was sent on a mission or hollow patrol in the Rukongai, he would send Renji or someone he could trust to make sure nothing happened to her, and he would have her do paperwork in his office often. He vowed secretly that he would do anything in his power to prevent Tsuki from dying.

Today however, was a little different than usual because Renji and Tsuki weren't inside doing their paperwork like they were supposed to. Instead, the two of them were at the sixth division training grounds, sparring with each other…

"Whoa, you're pretty good, Tsuki-chan." Renji commented after having his bokken* knocked out of his hand. "But I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve!"

Smirking, he put out his palm and used Shakkahô to try and hit Tsuki. She dodged all of the red sphere shaped kido spells he fired at her with ease. At least, until it started to back fire and the spell blew up in his face.

"Looks like your 'tricks' didn't work for very long." Tsuki said with a giggle. "Let's take a break."

Renji agreed and sat down, taking a drink from the bottle he brought with him. Tsuki complained that it was hot and started to take off her shihakushô top, making Renji spit out what he had sipped.

"What are you doing?!" he shouted as his cheeks went a deep red. "Put your robes back on!"

"Relax; I've got another top underneath." Tsuki said while removing her sash, revealing the blue tank top she usually wore and a white belt holding up her pants.

She then sat down beside him and continued with removing her sandals and socks. "That feels so much better…" she said happily with a content sigh.

"Are you done stripping then?" the red asked and Tsuki nodded. The both of them relaxed but something suddenly came to his mind and he continued by mentioning, "I couldn't help but notice a bunch of guys entering your office and coming back out depressed. What's up with that?"

For a moment she was silent until she sighed, looking away. "I guess it had to get out someday…" she muttered before starting her explanation. "The men that you have been seeing were coming to propose to me. It's happened ever since Kioku died…"

"So then…the reason they leave your office so depressed…" Renji started.

"Is because I tell them that I don't want to marry them…" Tsuki finished bashfully.

He asked why and she was a little hesitant, but finally she told him that she was waiting for someone in particular to return the feelings she held for him.

"Who is it?" Renji asked further.

Tsuki was silent for a minute and as she gazed into the distance, she answered, "Captain Kuchiki."

Renji was shocked. The one she was waiting for was _their captain_?! With his cheeks as red as they could be he asked why she was waiting for their captain to return her feelings and she looked at him strangely.

"What are you talking about Renji-nii?" she asked, still with that look on her face. "I was about to say that Captain Kuchiki is approaching. See?" She pointed off in the direction she was gazing in earlier and sure enough, Byakuya was walking over to them.

"Why aren't you at the squad station doing your paperwork?" he asked once he came up to them.

"I'm sorry, Captain Kuchiki. It's my fault." Tsuki stated in response as she stood up. "I was the one who suggested we take a break and spar for a while."

"You should still notify me where you are going." Byakuya told her.

"Well you were away somewhere and when I looked for paper to write a note, there was none…" she explained, flustered while her voice trailed off.

He gazed at her for a little bit before sighing and telling her, "Just make sure to remember to tell me next time."

Tsuki was a little surprised at his response. Usually he would lecture her a little more before telling her to get back to work. What brought about this change she wondered…? However, Renji's suggestion brought her out of her thoughts.

"Since you came out all this way Captain," he said. "How about we spar a little?"

Byakuya was about to answer, but Tsuki cut in. "Hold on, Renji-nii. You get to spar with the captain nearly all the time." She stated with her arms crossed and a pout on her face. "I want to spar with the captain this time!"

Byakuya agreed and Renji looked on in shock. "Captain, you can't!" he said with concern.

"Yes he can! I can take him!" Tsuki protested with a huff. "We just need to go through a few rules." – Renji looked on with confusion – "First of all, no kido spells of any kind. I don't even want to remember what happened the last time we were able to use spells. Also, no zanpaku-tô because I left mine at the station. You have to use a bokken."

"Very well." Byakuya agreed as he put his zanpaku-tô down and picked a bokken to use.

"Wait a minute." Renji spoke up after realizing something. "Have you fought before?"

"Of course, lots of times." Tsuki answered. "Back when we went to the academy together. Believe it or not, I was actually quite competitive."

She then faced Byakuya and asked if he was ready, leaving Renji speechless. The captain agreed, and the two of them immediately clashed swords.

'_So fast!'_ Renji thought with shock while the two continued to slash and block. _'I can hardly see half of what they're doing!'_

Suddenly Byakuya slashed at Tsuki's head and she bent backwards to dodge. She then brought her body back up and used the momentum to strike at him. He blocked and slashed at her, making her fly backwards but she flipped in midair and used her hand to stop. Soon after Byakuya used flash step to get to her and attacked once more. Tsuki blocked the attack kneeling and knocked the sword away. Then she quickly stood up just in time to block another attack.

"You've gotten faster since the last time we fought." She commented with a smirk, still blocking his sword.

"Of course. I practice every day." Byakuya stated simply in response.

Suddenly Tsuki used shunpo to appear behind Byakuya and as she attacked, she told him that he still wasn't a master. He blocked her attack and turned to face her. The two of them clashed a few more times until he had her cornered. Renji thought the fight was over, but Tsuki still had some fighting spirit in her. She smirked and stood her ground, and when Byakuya was about to slash at her, she smacked his bokken so hard that it snapped in two and nearly hit Renji.

"Oops, sorry Renji." Tsuki apologized to the vice-captain while scratching the back of her head. She then faced Byakuya once more and told him that the score was even. The captain, however, was not pleased.

"I thought you said no kido spells." He said with his eyes narrowed at her.

"That wasn't a kido spell." Tsuki explained simply. "I just channeled my spiritual pressure through my bokken…"

"How would you go about doing that?!" Renji asked after he walked up to them.

"It's the same as with one's zanpaku-tô." Tsuki continued with her explanation. "With me it is second nature, but it still takes complete concentration."

"Where did you learn it from?" Renji asked further with curiosity.

"I only learned from the best." She replied with pride as she mentioned all of her teachers. "My grandfather, my mother, my father, and let's not forget Yoruichi-chan…" She then trailed off and collapsed, Byakuya catching her before she hit the ground. A few minutes later Tsuki emerged from unconsciousness.

"Wait Captain, she's waking up." She heard Renji say as she opened her eyes slowly.

"What…" she muttered while looking around. "What happened?"

"You suddenly blacked out." The vice-captain answered. "You were out for nearly ten minutes."

"We were about to take you to fourth division." Byakuya added.

Tsuki looked to where he was and saw that he was closer than usual. When she looked around some more and noticed that her captain was carrying her, she blushed a deep red.

"Um…do you think you could put me down Captain Kuchiki?" she asked, still blushing.

"Will you be able to stand?" he questioned with concern and she nodded.

He then let her down slowly and gently until she was standing on her feet. For a moment, she wavered, but she eventually stood up straight.

"Why don't you take it easy for the rest of the day?" Renji suggested, also concerned for his subordinate.

"Yeah. It's probably the heat that made me black out…" Tsuki agreed. "I'll just head back to the squad station to finish my paper work."

With that she started on her way back and Byakuya turned to Renji. "Make sure she gets back to the station safely." He ordered turning in a different direction.

"What will you do Captain?" the red head asked. "I need to check on something."

He answered simply before using flash step to disappear. Renji wondered about his captain for a moment before turning to follow Tsuki back to the station. A few minutes later, Byakuya was conversing with Unohana about something that's been bothering him…

"It's true that Tsuki's reishi is slowly waning…" Unohana said as she pondered. "But I don't know what is causing it. You say this is the ninth time this has happened?"

Byakuya nodded and Unohana looked at the previous notes she wrote about Tsuki with worry. "The times have been increasing as well…" he said with concern. "This one lasted ten minutes before she woke up."

"This is serious." Unohana commented, still worried. "Whatever is happening to Tsuki-san can't be good. Continue to keep an eye on her. That's all I can say for now…"

Byakuya agreed and went back to the station, wondering if this would lead to the fate he had so feared…

About a month passed and Tsuki's condition was getting worse. It had come to a point where she was collapsing more than one time a day. Everyone was starting to worry for her, but she brushed it off and said it was nothing to be concerned about. In truth, she was concerned herself because she didn't know why she was losing consciousness so suddenly.

But Byakuya kept her close by and let her continue to work. He wouldn't usually let her go out on patrols a lot but let her go occasionally, provided that Renji would accompany her. That was what she was doing today, taking patrol in the south Rukon district.

"It's been pretty quiet today." Tsuki commented casually as the two of them roamed the outer edge of a town.

"I'm surprised the captain even let you come with me today." Renji stated with slight surprise. "Not since what happened last time when you collapsed right when you were about to attack."

"That was so humiliating!" she exclaimed with embarrassment then sighed. "And I'm scared…I don't even know what's happening to my body. Not even Captain Unohana knows. Sometimes I can't even move the way I want to…"

Renji gazed at her with concern for a moment before telling her not to worry and that Unohana will find a way to make her better. Tsuki smiled and suddenly the two of them felt the presence of a strong hollow. As soon as they felt the pressure, the hollow appeared and attacked Tsuki first. She blocked and held her own, using her shikai to attack. But the hollow was unscathed and continued to go for Tsuki.

She tried her best to defeat him, but it was too fast and strong, so she decided to go bankai. She got into position and was about to release her bankai, but for some reason, her body froze. The hollow attacked and Renji was too slow to block it, so Tsuki was run through by the hollow. Renji quickly defeated it and brought Tsuki to the fourth squad barracks to get treated. They notified Byakuya and he was there in a flash.

"What happened?" he asked as soon as he saw Tsuki bandaged up and in a coma. "A hollow attacked, and it kept going for her. She tried to release her bankai, and couldn't move…" Renji explained solemnly. "The hollow attacked her at that moment, and I was too slow. I couldn't protect her captain. I'm sorry…"

"She'll be okay. She'll heal." Unohana added warmly but then her face fell a little. "However, this coma…I don't know when she'll awaken from it, but it may take a while."

Byakuya said nothing for a while but he vowed to himself that he would wait forever if he had to. He would wait until she woke up. Until then, he and the others would go about their business. Little did they know they would have to wait over seventeen months…

* * *

*** A bokken is a wooden practice sword**

**Get ready for a big change because everything will be different, at least through Tsuki's eyes. I hadn't actually intended to have Tsuki in a coma for that long, but the Full bringer arc was coming to an end so I went ahead and had her stay in a coma. Plus, it would make a substantial change in the characters if I did that too.**


	29. A Year and Two Months Later

Over seventeen months passed and everything changed. The battles with the Fullbringers had ended and Ichigo was back to visiting the Soul Society once he had regained his soul reaper powers. The Captains for third, fifth and ninth were replaced and peace came back to the Soul Society. Tsuki's condition however, stayed the same.

"How's Tsuki doing?" Renji asked Rukia as the two of them walked around the Seireitei.

In the course of two years, Renji grew his hair longer but it was still up in a ponytail. Instead of a white sash tied around his head, it was a maroon colored bandana. Stuck in the pony tail was a long black stick and on his arms were long black strips and bandages.

Rukia cut her hair short so it framed her face and she wore tekkou much like her brother's except they went up to above her elbows. She was now the lieutenant of thirteenth division, and wore her emblem with pride on her upper arm which also held up her left sleeve.

"She's still in a coma. Nothing has changed." Rukia replied solemnly. "I've just left so nii-sama could be alone with her. He's been spending every free moment with her."

"You think he's become more concerned for her over the past few months?" Renji pondered half to himself.

Rukia nodded and suddenly she realized something. "It's almost Tsuki's birthday, isn't it?" she stated with a smile.

"Already?" Renji said with surprise. "My time flies quickly. What do you have planned?"

"Nothing yet," Rukia answered. "But only close friends will be invited this time. It was too cramped in that small room to even move."

"You're right…" Renji agreed with a tired look on his face. "I wish we could have the party somewhere else but I don't think it'll be good to move Tsuki."

Rukia nodded in agreement and the two of them continued their walk.

Meanwhile, Byakuya was still with Tsuki in her room at fourth division barracks.

"The autumn leaves have started to fall. I know how much you love the colors. They seem more vibrant this year…" he said to her while looking out the window. He faced her and continued, "You know how I used to say that you annoyed me when you started kicking the leaves in the street? I lied. I loved to see you smile and enjoy yourself…" – he sat in the chair next to her bed – "I'd give anything to see you smile again…"

He gazed at the woman who slept in the bed. She slept peacefully and her hair had grown longer and faded to silver over the past few months. She had also grown a couple inches taller too. Byakuya reached up his hand to her face and brushed away her bangs, which stopped at her chin. At that moment, someone opened the door and walked into the room.

Byakuya quickly withdrew his hand and looked up just as the person was saying, "Oh, sorry. I didn't know anyone else was in here. I'll leave."

"That's okay. I'm nearly done." Byakuya stated in response, sitting back in the chair and faced the one who came in.

Natsuki approached the bed and gazed at Tsuki. "Oh, someone needs to trim her hair. It's getting a little too long." She commented while fixing up the covers and making sure everything was okay. "She's like a sister to me you know… We were actually supposed to become sister in laws but…" She trailed off with sadness and the captain knew who she was.

"You're Kioku Shimazaki's sister." He stated simply and the woman he was talking to nodded.

"Tsuki and Kioku's marriage was supposed to benefit the Kishin family and the Shimazaki family. After we learned he was dead, we decided to offer Tsuki and her grandfather our support." She explained to him. "But she politely turned us down because she said that we needed to support ourselves so we wouldn't fall like her family did. She was always concerned for us. Did you know that she's had suitors ever since Kioku passed away? Some guys never learn to leave a woman alone…" – she trailed off and realized that she was potentially boring the man to death – "Oh! Sorry about my rambling..."

"What of the suitors?" Byakuya asked, intrigued and slightly annoyed, though he tried to keep his composure.

"Ah! You're interested in that?" Natsuki stated in response with surprise. "Well, as soon as Kioku passed on, the men flocked to her like crazy. Some wanted her because she was beautiful, others for piggish reasons. But all of them came to ask for her hand in marriage. She's turned them all down though…"

"Why?" the captain questioned further.

"She's told me that she's waiting for someone in particular to ask her to marry him…" Tsuki's friend replied as she pondered to herself. "She hasn't told me or anyone who it is, but one thing that's interesting… Ever since you've started coming to visit every day, the number of the suitors' visits has decreased…" – she paused for a moment – "I've been talking your ear off haven't I? And it's time for me to return to my rounds. Good bye, Captain." She then left the room and soon after Byakuya said his goodbyes to the sleeping Tsuki and left as well to continue with his duties.

Nearly a week later, something peculiar and shocking happened. Byakuya was currently in his office doing his usual paperwork, monitoring Tsuki's spiritual pressure like he did every day since she went into a coma. Suddenly it fluttered a little and suddenly it was gone, like a puff of smoke. Surprised by what had just happened, Byakuya shot up from his chair and at that moment Renji ran into the office.

"Captain! It's Tsuki's reishi!" he shouted with urgency. "It's gone! I can't sense it anymore!"

"I know. I sensed it disappearing too." Byakuya stated in response, slightly annoyed by his vice-captain's intrusion, but was more worried about Tsuki's well-being. "I will go see what has happened."

Renji agreed and Byakuya headed over to the fourth division. Once he came to the corridor, he noticed Natsuki, looking panicked. He approached the door to Tsuki's room and heard a commotion going on inside.

"What happened to Tsuki?" he asked Natsuki.

For a moment she continued to gaze at the door with worry, but she eventually turned to him and said, "Oh, Captain Kuchiki. I didn't see you there… I'm guessing you sensed Tsuki's reishi disappearing…"

She trailed off and he repeated his question with urgency. Natsuki hesitated but nonetheless began to explain to the captain what had happened.

"Well I was talking with her, and suddenly her eyes fluttered for a split second," she began with worry in her voice. "I thought she was going to finally wake up but she suddenly stopped breathing and her spiritual pressure was gone…" – she trailed off again and he thought she was done but she continued instead – "I called someone for help. A few had gone in, including Captain Unohana, but I still can't feel her reishi…"

For a moment Byakuya thought the worst had befallen Tsuki and what Ai had told him had come true, but someone shouted from inside the room…

"NO, TSUYOI-AI, DON'T GO!" the two of them heard the familiar voice of Tsuki's resonate through the halls.

Natsuki was shocked and so was Byakuya, but he quickly regained his composure and opened the door, looking in. Unohana was standing beside the bed and a few other nurse shinigamis were present. Sitting up on the bed was Tsuki, very much awake and alive.

"Oh, she's…She's okay…" Natsuki mumbled, trailing off as joyful tears flowed down her face.

"All of you may go now. I can take care of the rest." Unohana stated gently but firmly to the others. They all left swiftly and she turned to Natsuki, continuing, "Natsuki, go dry your tears and continue your rounds. Tsuki is alright, you can see her later."

The girl she spoke to nodded her head and left with a smile on her face. Byakuya tried to come into the room, but Unohana held up a hand to stop him. The captain of fourth company then sat on the edge of the bed and faced Tsuki, who was now crying.

"Tsuki-chan. Tsuki-chan, can you hear me?" she asked gently. Tsuki looked up and said the captain's name with tears in her eyes. "Why do you cry my dear?" Unohana questioned further and the young woman shook her head sadly. "Can you not tell me?" – Tsuki said nothing, looking away – "Well I will not force you. Now I don't want you to be alarmed, but you've been in a coma for over seventeen months."

"Over…seventeen months?!" Tsuki stated with shock, facing the woman who spoke to her. "So you're saying the day I got attacked by that hollow and severely wounded…happened over seventeen months ago?!"

"Roughly." Unohana replied with a smile. "A lot of things have changed, but you will learn about what has happened soon. Right now you have a visitor."

She motioned for Byakuya to approach and Tsuki looked up, a surprised expression on her face. "Captain…Kuchiki?" she said as she gazed at him. "You look so different now…"

He was no longer wearing his trademark kenseikan, and instead wore different hairpieces on the back of his head, leaving his locks loose and slightly messy. His bangs were still parted on the right side of his face, slightly covering it. He didn't wear the scarf around his neck anymore either. He still wore the same shihakushô and tekkou, but his haori had changed slightly. It was still cut off at the shoulders, but had a high collar with light gold tassels attached to the corners and the same colored lining.

Unohana stood and left, and Byakuya sat in the chair next to her bed. "I'm not the only one who has changed my looks." He commented. "Many others have as well."

"How are Rukia and the others?" Tsuki asked, interested in how her friends were doing.

"You will soon find out. Everyone was worried about you." Byakuya answered going silent for a moment. "Why did you shout out your zanpaku-tô's name just now? And what is that ribbon you have in your hand?"

Tsuki looked down at her hand and sure enough there was a blue colored ribbon with silver bells tied to the ends, just like what was wound around the hilt of her zanpaku-tô. She gritted her teeth, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to pour out of her eyes.

She shook her head and looked up to her captain and childhood friend and said, "I'm sorry…I can't tell you. Not right now at least…"

* * *

**And everything will be revealed in the next two chapters, still scheduled to come out Thursday! Just four more chapters to go, and since I've pretty much edited the rest of the chapters (minus the last one for now), I think I'll go ahead and submit the last four chapters then, just for you guys. After all, chapters 31 and 32 make a two parter, and I want to submit them both. So I think I'll do that.**


	30. Request

Not even three days had passed and Tsuki was back on her feet again. She did not return to her duties, for she was still recovering, so at the fourth division barracks she stayed. But she still walked around to get her strength back.

It was currently break time for most soul reapers, and Byakuya had gone to visit Tsuki. He had done so for the past few days, but couldn't yesterday because he had too much work. Just a few minutes ago he had gone to the room she was staying in, and was redirected to the gardens by a shinigami nurse who was nearby at that moment.

So he ventured out to the gardens, and almost immediately he saw her talking with man he had never seen before. He was in a shihakushô, so he must have been a shinigami not currently on duty. He couldn't hear much of their conversation from where he was so he decided to hide behind a tree closer to them to listen in.

"So that's your final answer?" he heard the young man say with slight aggravation.

"Yes." Tsuki answered, unwavering in her decision. "I have no desire to marry you."

"But your family needs money and support! I can give both if we wed!" the man stated, getting angrier by the minute. "You need me! You can't turn down my proposal!"

"But I have, multiple times." Tsuki said simply, not fearing his anger. "And yet you keep coming back. Don't you know the meaning of the word 'no'?"

The man couldn't take it anymore and snapped. "Then I will strike down your family and force you to be my wife!" he shouted angrily as he brought his hand up to do harm to her.

She closed her eyes to take the hit and Byakuya acted at that moment. He came up behind the soul reaper and stopped him from hitting her. With a firm grip on the man's wrist, he gave him his coldest glare and told him icily, "That is no way to be in favor of a woman. Try to harm Tsuki again and you'll be answering to the Kuchiki Clan."

The shinigami looked at Byakuya with fear but quickly took his hand back and left in a hurry. Tsuki watched him walk away until he was out of sight and she and Byakuya faced each other.

"Sorry that you had to see that…" she stated with an apologetic smile. "He's been the most determined of all the suitors I've had."

"From what I've seen, all he has been doing is threatening you." Byakuya commented with slight annoyance in his tone, thinking that the man never deserved her.

He gazed at the dark red kimono with falling autumn leaves that she wore, matching the scene that was happening around them, and watched as the wind tousled her long silver white strands that weren't in the loose braid that she had. Indeed, no man deserved her, not even him.

He saw the contemplating expression on her face and asked her, "Are you alright?" while gazing at her with concern and she nodded, saying she's been through worse than this. Tsuki soon continued on her leisurely walk in the gardens, the captain joining her.

"I heard that you've had quite a few suitors in the few months before you went into a coma." Byakuya started up another conversation after a few minutes of silent contemplation.

"Natsuki must have told you that…" Tsuki stated with her arms crossed. "Well it's true. It all started after Kioku disappeared but escalated after the news of his death got out. I keep telling them no but some of them keep coming back…"

"I can keep them away from you." The captain suggested simply.

Tsuki blushed a little, but recovered and told him, "Thank you, but the only way you can do that is propose to me. This is something you probably won't do considering how you still feel about Hisana…The truth is my heart is too broken to be mended again…"

The two continued their walk in silence until Byakuya spoke again. "And yet you are waiting for someone specific to ask for your hand." He said, and then went on to ask with curiosity. "If this is true, who is it you are waiting for?"

'_Natsuki and her big mouth!'_ Tsuki thought while blushing again and looking away. _'I'm gonna have to talk to her later…'_ She then went on to say that it wasn't the right time for her to reveal the name of the man she was waiting for.

"Why have you refused to answer any of the important questions I asked you?" Byakuya asked with slight anger.

Tsuki went silent for a moment after they both stopped. She leaned against a tree and sighed, then finally spoke again. "I'm sorry. But I will tell you. I promise." She said to him. "I am truly grateful to all of you who watched over me these past two years, and for sharing what has happened. It will soon be my turn to tell of what has happened to me…"

"You mean…?" Byakuya started with curiosity.

Tsuki nodded and continued, "Yes." – she paused to think a while, the looked up into his eyes with determination – "Would you make a request for me? I would like to talk to the Head Captain about something."

"Of course," Byakuya stated in reply, but wanted to know something. "May I ask why you want to see the Head Captain?"

"I want…to retire from the Thirteen Court Guard Squads…" Tsuki told him with slight sadness as he became shocked. "The reason is that I have hardly any spiritual pressure left and I've tried over the past few days to cast even one kido spell, but I cannot. So I have decided to ask Head Captain Yamamoto to let me retire."

"Are you sure about this?" Byakuya asked with concern.

"I have already decided. No one can make me change my mind." She said before starting to walk again, her captain falling into step beside her. "But I want to know…" – she turned her head to look at him – "Seeing as you won't be my captain anymore, what should I call you when I do retire?"

Byakuya looked at her before answering, "You may call me by my first name."

"Alright then…Byakuya." Tsuki stated with her first genuine smile in a long time…

A couple of days went by before Tsuki was summoned to a captain's meeting to see Head Captain Yamamoto. She wore her best blue colored kimono with the ribbon with the silver bells on the ends tied around her waist over her sash. On the kimono were prints of white water lilies floating on the surface of water – which was the crest of the Kishin family – on the bottom hem. As soon as she came to the large doors of the first division, they were opened for her and she went in, kneeling on the floor and bowing with respect.

"You may rise." She heard Yamamoto say and did as he said. "Now what is it you requested my audience for?"

Tsuki took this moment to look at all the captains present. Every one of them was there, even Ukitake, who was sick most of the time, making him absent for most captains' meetings. As Renji and Rukia had explained to her, the positions of third, fifth, and ninth divisions were filled again by Rose, Shinji and Kensei, who had been captains about one hundred and ten years ago. She also saw that some of the captains had even changed their looks, like Byakuya. She looked back to Yamamoto, who had not changed at all except for his missing arm – which had been cut off in the battle against Aizen.

"I would like your permission to retire, Head Captain." She finally answered, causing Yamamoto to look on in surprise while the other captains gasped and spoke amongst themselves. "As you all have sensed at one point, I no longer have much spiritual pressure. I can barely cast even one kido spell and…"

She trailed off and looked down at her lap, sadness in her eyes. Yamamoto urged her to continue, and she brought her head up again, doing so. "I no longer have a zanpaku-tô." She continued hesitantly, and another wave of shock washed over the captains. "My zanpaku-tô, Tsuyoi-ai, has left my side."

Many shocked whispers erupted from those present and travelled around the room. Some were asking themselves how something like that could happen, and some who were skeptical asked if what she was saying was really true. To counter that skepticism, the subject changed to ways of finding out if she was telling the truth or lying. Some said a test could decide that, but only two captains' suggestions were heard above the rest.

"I say someone battles her. Then we'll see if she's hiding something up her sleeve or not." Kenpachi stated with an eager smirk on his face while gazing straight at her.

Tsuki shivered and Mayuri had to counter. "You imbecile! That's not the way!" he butted in with annoyance while glaring at the captain he loathed before looking at Tsuki. "We must experiment on every fiber of her body to find the truth."

That sent even more shivers down Tsuki's back and Byakuya couldn't take it anymore. Glaring at the both of them while reaching for the hilt of his zanpaku-tô, he said, "If either of you so much as lay a finger on Tsuki, I'll…"

"Enough." Yamamoto ordered over the discussions, making all of them settle and quiet down. "Captain Kuchiki, release your grip on your zanpaku-tô. There is no need for a battle to ensue." – Byakuya calmed himself and did as he was ordered to while Yamamoto turned his gazed to Tsuki – "Kishin-san would you tell us how your zanpaku-tô has come to leave your side?"

All eyes were once again on Tsuki and she began her story. "As all of you may know, I have been in a coma these past two years. A week before I awoke, I became conscious in my inner world. Tsuyoi-ai was waiting for me there…and they told me that my fate was that I was going to die." She explained to all who listened. "I was to die before the week was over, and I accepted it. I patiently waited for my time, and I was ready to let go. When I was close to dying someone pushed me back and Tsuyoi-ai…" – she trailed off and looked away sadly – "They had sacrificed themselves…to let me live my life."

"There is no way I can believe a story like that." Mayuri commented coldly. "How do we know for sure whether you're lying or not?"

"My zanpaku-tô is no longer here. You may search anywhere, but you will not find it." Tsuki stated in reply. "The only thing left of my zanpaku-tô is this ribbon that I had tied on the hilt and scabbard."

Mayuri was still skeptical, but nonetheless shut his mouth.

For a few minutes, Yamamoto was silent as he thought about what had been explained to him, and all captains were keen to know of his decision. Finally he spoke, "I have listened to your request and reason, Kishin-san. However this is a serious matter. I shall think on it and give you my decision within the next week. I assume you will be staying at the Kishin estate until then?" – Tsuki nodded – "Then all are dismissed."

Yamamoto then left the room and Mayuri turned to face her. "Don't think for a moment that I'll believe your lies." He said to her.

She stood up, looked right at him, and said in reply, "I'm not asking you to believe them. All I need is the Head Captain's favor on this matter."

"Heh. He's just angry because he doesn't have a test subject anymore." Kenpachi stated from behind the captain of twelfth company. Mayuri clicked his tongue and left in a hurry while the battle crazy captain continued, "Kishin, I'm still waiting to fight you. Whenever you feel a little rusty, come to Eleventh division for a sparring match." He then left too and Byakuya approached.

"Thank you for defending me back there, Byakuya." She said as the two of them started the walk away from first division.

"It is what any friend would do, Tsuki." He stated simply in response.

"Ah~. Tsuki-chan!" the two heard from behind, making yet another shiver go down her back. "You've gotten even more beautiful the past few months~!" She knew exactly who it was and shifted to the side to evade a pouncing Shunsui.

"You know that's getting a little too old Shunsui-san." Tsuki commented to the captain now lying on the ground with her arms crossed.

"It's good to see you up and about again, Tsuki-chan." Ukitake stated with a warm smile as he approached the two of them. "And I see that you two are on a first name basis again."

"Well Byakuya won't be my captain after I retire, Ukitake-sempai." She said as a matter of factly before noticing someone in the distance. "Hey look it's Renji and Rukia. They probably want to know what happened. I'll come by for tea sometime soon, Ukitake-sempai. Until then."

She then bowed and went to go greet her other friends while Ukitake watched her. Turning to Byakuya he asked, "Have you talked with her about your promise yet?"

"No." the captain replied simply. "But I will in due time."


	31. Birthday Part 1: Makeover!

"Thank you for staying by me all these years, Father…and Mother…" Tsuki said, sitting in front of the family shrine at the Kishin manor. "But the time has come when I no longer need to wear these anymore." – she removed the earrings she wore every day since her parents' deaths and placed them in a box with their right matches – "And I thank you as well, Grandmother, for watching over me."

She then removed the ribbons from her hair and put those away with the earrings. After that she continued with her praying and thanks.

The week had gone by quicker than usual for Tsuki, what with all of the life changing events that had taken place. Not too long after the captain's meeting she attended, she moved all her things from the barracks back to her room at the manor. Then she explained to her grandfather what had happened to her the past few weeks after nearly giving him a scare because he hadn't gotten the news of her awakening yet. A couple of days after that, Head Captain Yamamoto dropped by to talk with her grandfather and to give her his acceptance to be retired from the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.

"Now all that's left for me to do is marry a nobleman." Tsuki continued with a slight frown, downhearted about the whole idea. "And I bet no matter what I do I'll never get him to look at me that way…" – she paused and hugged herself, then closed the doors to the shrine – "What am I doing? I have no time to be sad. My birthday is coming up!"

She then stood up and started to think of what she was going to do on her birthday as she continued her day.

Right at that moment Rukia was on break and heading over to the sixth division. In her mind were ideas buzzing around for what they could do for Tsuki on her birthday. Before she even reached the doors of her brother's office, one idea stood out the most; a banquet. It could also be a welcome back party and a retirement party wrapped up into one. When she reached the doors of the captain's office, Renji was just coming out.

"Hey Rukia, what are you doing here?" he asked with curiosity.

"I need to speak with you and Byakuya, so come in with me." She answered before dragging him in with her.

"What brings you here, Rukia?" Byakuya asked with wonderment when the two of them came through the doors.

"Tsuki's birthday is coming up fast." His sister replied as she stood before his desk with Renji beside her.

"So what do you have planned for this year?" Renji questioned further, seeing as she was the mastermind behind the two previous birthdays held in the cramped room Tsuki was sleeping in.

"I'm thinking that we should have a small banquet at the Kishin manor and some could stay over and sleep if it goes on late." Rukia explained. "We are going to have to ask her grandfather for permission, but I don't think that'll be a problem…"

And so she went on with her plans for Tsuki's birthday, taking up her break time and Renji's to explain nearly every detail. Byakuya and Renji agreed help out and so the next few days they set up for the party in secret, keeping Tsuki away from the manor until the day finally came…

Tsuki awoke the morning of her birthday and got dressed into her favorite blue kimono with light blue trimmings. Tying her long hair up in a ponytail with her favorite blue ribbon, she decided to pay Byakuya and Renji a visit so they could hang out just like old times. So she headed out, making sure to let her grandfather know that she was leaving. Once she did, he let everyone who was hiding in the main room know where she was going.

"That's nice but…" Renji commented as they started to decorate. "The Captain and I are here, and if she finds that we're not there, the odds are that she'll probably come back."

"Don't worry." Rukia stated in response with a smile. "I've got that covered. In the meantime, you need to go pick up a few people at the Senkaimon. They should be here by now."

"A few people…?" Renji pondered before doing as she said and leaving for the gate to the world of the living.

At that time Tsuki had arrived at sixth division and looked into the captain's and vice-captain's offices, seeing no one there. "Where's Byakuya?" she asked aloud as she wandered into the captain's office.

She looked at his desk and found that wherever he was right now, he wasn't going to return, because the desk was bare. Not a document or paper was to be seen on the polished surface.

"Hey, Tsuki-chan!" she heard a familiar voice from behind and looked to the doorway to see Matsumoto.

"Hi, Matsumoto-chan. Long time no see." Tsuki returned the greeting with a smile. "Do you know where Byakuya and Renji might be?"

"I think that the both of them took a day off today." The lieutenant of tenth company replied after pondering for a bit.

"Really? The both of them on the same day?" Tsuki wondered aloud before starting to leave. "I wonder where they are…" She walked right by Matsumoto, who caught up to her and stopped her.

"How about you hang out with me today, just us two girls?" she proposed with a friendly smile. "I can give you a special birthday makeover!"

"Well I was planning to spend some time with Byakuya and Renji…" Tsuki said slowly, deep in thought.

"You don't want to hang out with boring old Captain Kuchiki and his hot-headed lieutenant!" Matsumoto exclaimed with a pout before grabbing Tsuki by her wrist. "Come on, I'll make you the most gorgeous woman in the Soul Society!"

And so she brought Tsuki along, shopping for beauty supplies for her, all the while ignoring her protests. Soon they were at Matsumoto's place, the lieutenant styling her hair and applying makeup to her face.

Once she was done Matsumoto turned Tsuki to face the mirror. She had changed so much in the few hours there she couldn't believe her eyes. Her long hair had been trimmed to get rid of the split ends she had since the last hair cut she had, and her bangs had been cut and formed to frame her face with a parting on the left. Matsumoto made a natural approach with applying the makeup and just put a little blush on her cheeks and also a little pink lip gloss.

"Is that…Is that really…me?" Tsuki asked aloud with surprise as she examined her reflection in the mirror. "What did you do?!"

"I just worked a little of my magic!" Matsumoto replied with a smile. "All the guys won't know what hit them once they take a look at the new and improved Tsuki-chan!"

This made Tsuki think about what Byakuya was doing right at that moment…

"Hey, where did Byakuya go?" Ichigo asked while he and the others finished up some of the decorating. "He's been gone ever since we arrived. Shouldn't he be helping out too?"

Chad, Uryû and Orihime were there too, as they were the people Renji had to go pick up at the Senkaimon because they were invited to the banquet as well.

"I believe he went to go speak with Tsuki's grandfather about something important." Rukia answered from where she was while Ichigo mumbled, asking himself what could be so important.

Meanwhile Orihime pondered about what Rukia had said and wondered what they were talking about…

"So that is your intention, Byakuya…" Tsuki's grandfather stated seriously after the head of the Kuchiki clan told him of his request.

The two were currently in one of the many guest rooms overlooking the garden, having tea and talking. It was now that Byakuya decided to make his request to marry Tsuki and to ask for a blessing from Tsuki's grandfather. The elderly man however was not going to give it so easily.

He continued by telling the man he was conversing with, "From what Tsuki-chan has told me, you haven't been returning the respect she so willingly gave to you these past few years."

"I am sure that she will forgive my actions in the past as she did when we were younger. She has a strong heart." Byakuya stated to defend his reason. "Through this she has brought up feelings that I thought I buried deep inside myself."

"Humph… You still don't deserve her. No man but Kioku deserved her in my eyes." Tsuki's grandfather commented with slight anger. "Still, it will be her decision. Go ahead and ask her. If she says yes, you may have my blessing."

"I will not take no for an answer." The head of the Kuchiki clan said with determination. "Though if she tells me no, then I will wait forever until she says yes if I have to."

For a moment the elderly Kishin was silent until he burst out into laughter. "Very good. Very good indeed!" he said with an approving smile. "Tonight will be a night to remember for my granddaughter. Until then relax, and feel free to change into any of my son's kimonos. You can't go to a banquet dressed in you work clothes."

At that moment Rukia came into the room after asking permission to enter. "Everything's all set up and the people who were invited have arrived." She informed them. "We have just called Matsumoto and she's leading Tsuki-chan here."

"Well then we'd better get into our places." Tsuki's grandfather suggested while standing up.

Rukia agreed and the two of them left Byakuya to get changed. Meanwhile, Matsumoto was leading a blindfolded Tsuki to the banquet.

"Could you please tell me where we are going?" Tsuki asked for the fourth time with slight annoyance. "And why'd you have to blindfold me?"

"It'll make more of a surprise." Matsumoto answered the second question, but didn't reply to the first. Suddenly she stopped and the ex-soul reaper bumped into her. "We're here!" she said with excitement as she opened a door. "You can take your blindfold off!"


	32. Brithday Part 2: Proposal

Tsuki removed her blindfold and was greeted by a whole bunch of people sitting at a table with a feast before them.

"Surprise! Happy Birthday Tsuki!" everyone exclaimed excitedly with smiles on their faces. Even Byakuya was sporting a small smirk.

Tsuki was utterly shocked while gazing at everyone in the room. She never thought for one moment that someone would throw such a party for her. All who were close to her were there. There was Ukitake and Shunsui – who had already drunken himself into a stupor – Byakuya was there of course, Rukia, Renji, Matsumoto had made herself at home and joined the party, Natsuki and finally her grandfather. Ichigo and the others were there as well, and even they had changed over the past two years.

Ichigo didn't change all that much, except for a few additions to his shihakushô like a different collar and arm bands. He had also gotten stronger and his zanpaku-tô's shape was much different.

Chad hadn't changed at all except his hair had grown a bit and he had a little bit of facial hair.

Uryû had the left side of his bangs brushed casually behind his ear and his hair had grown out a little as well.

Orihime also grew her hair longer and she no longer wore her hair clips. Instead of in her hair she wore them both on her collar.

"What are you standing there for?" Matsumoto asked with a smile. "It is your party, join in!"

"Come and sit in between brother and me." Rukia suggested motioning to the empty seat next to Byakuya.

Tsuki gave a bright smile and did so before she was handed a flat rectangle shaped package. "It's a gift from all of us." Rukia explained while Tsuki received the present and unwrapped it. "There's something inside it on the first page, too."

The present was a simple sketchbook, and when she opened it, on the first page was a conglomeration of small sketches from all of the people who were there. For a moment Tsuki was speechless, and looked at each person's face before smiling with small tears in her eyes. She was lucky to have such friends that would care so much for her.

"Thank you, everyone." She said with happiness. "Now let's start this banquet!"

"You can't start without me." She heard someone familiar say from outside.

Tsuki and the others turned to see Yoruichi standing there with a smirk playing on her lips and her arms crossed. Tsuki jumped up and greeted her old friend with happiness and surprise, and the others were glad that she could join the banquet as well. Byakuya, however, wasn't too pleased considering that most of his academy life he was teased by the former captain of the second division. But he would tolerate her tonight for Tsuki's sake.

"Long time no see, Yoruichi-chan!" Tsuki said happily as the purple-haired woman took a seat at the table next to Tsuki's grandfather. "Where have you been all this time? I've heard that you've visited the Soul Society quite a few times in the past few years."

"Here and there. Helping the people who needed it." She answered motioning to Ichigo. "Whenever I showed up you were gone somewhere else or knocked out. How's your flash step? Are you still faster than little Byakuya?"

The captain's eye slightly twitched with anger before Tsuki replied, "We're pretty much equal in every area now, apart from the fact that I'm retired and can't cast many kido spells."

So the banquet commenced, and the group – mostly Tsuki's grandfather and Yoruichi – started to share stories from the past. Much to Byakuya's and Tsuki's chagrin, many of these retellings were about them and their embarrassing mishaps during their days at the academy.

Soon after Matsumoto and Tsuki got into the sake and got a little tipsy and Byakuya had to stop Tsuki at her hundredth cup before she got dead drunk. Shunsui had already drunk too much and was passed out on the floor. All in all it was a little crazy, but all who attended had a lot of fun.

Just as it started, the party had come to a close. Ukitake had already gone home and left Shunsui because he was sure the captain of eighth company would just go home on his own. Those who had come from the world of the living had been arranged to stay the night at the Kishin manor. The rest had chosen to do the same.

At that moment Tsuki and the other females were setting up futons on the floor so they could all sleep together. It was then that Rukia passed a special message to Tsuki.

"Wow. What a nice room you have, Tsuki-chan!" Matsumoto exclaimed with wonder as she looked around while Orihime agreed with her. "I thought you said your family had fallen financially."

"Well we are, but we still get to stay here…" Tsuki said in response with slight sadness. "At least for a while longer unless I can get myself married to a nobleman who is able to support us."

"You can be independent like me." Yoruichi suggested simply.

"I would, but I'm no longer a soul reaper." Tsuki explained. "I'm not being paid anymore and getting married is easier for us."

At that moment Rukia suddenly remembered something. "Oh, I nearly forgot!" she stated loudly, making the others slightly jump. "There's a message for you, from Byakuya."

Rukia faced Tsuki and gave her a small note from a small pocket within her kimono. For a minute Tsuki stared at the neatly folded paper until Matsumoto snatched it away and opened it, ignoring the protesting Tsuki next to her. She read it quickly and shouted out with surprise.

"What does it say?" Yoruichi asked curiously as she took it away from a surprised Matsumoto and read it for herself. Once she was done she smirked and looked at the flustered Tsuki. "Looks like you won't be single anymore." She continued as she held the note up for Tsuki to read. "Byakuya wants to speak with you. Alone."

"Is that what it really says or are you just playing around?" Tsuki asked with skepticism as she blushed a bright red.

"If you don't believe me," Yoruichi stated while handing the note to her friend. "Then read it for yourself."

Tsuki was unsure at first, but she took the note and read it anyway. It said, _**Tsuki, I wish to speak with you about some important matters. I will be waiting in the room overlooking the peach blossom tree. Come when you are ready, but don't keep me waiting.**_

For a minute she was silent, reading the note over and over before looking to Yoruichi and blushing even more. "Wh-What makes you think I won't be single after this meeting?" she asked hesitantly with wide eyes.

"Oh come on," Yoruichi stated with a smirk while elbowing the flustered woman. "We all know that Byakuya has had a thing for you. He still does."

"He couldn't keep his eyes off of you during the whole of the banquet." Matsumoto added.

"Are you sure that wasn't because I was drinking too much and he was trying to keep an eye on me?" Tsuki asked hesitantly.

"No!" the lieutenant said in disagreement.

Tsuki looked to the note with worry before turning to her two love gurus. "Then should I go now…or wait?" she asked with worry in her voice.

"You take him up on his offer of course! Now's the perfect time to tell him how you feel!" Matsumoto replied before directing her to the door that led to the hallway. "Go get 'em tiger!"

She pushed Tsuki out of her room into the hallway, wishing her luck. Tsuki made her way to the destination written on the note, and when she got close, she found the door open.

Moonlight spilled into the hallway, making the polished wood floor glow. Tsuki looked into the room and saw Byakuya, his back facing her as he gazed out into the garden. Next to him was a small serving table with tea brewing in a small tea pot next to a couple of tea cups on it. Next to the table was a cushion waiting for her to occupy.

Tsuki backed away from the open door a little and mentally prepared herself before heading in. She made her way to the empty cushion and sat down, careful not to make a sound and disturb her friend.

"Good evening, Tsuki." Byakuya greeted simply, not pulling his gaze from the full moon just yet.

"Oh…G-Good evening, Byakuya." She returned the greeting before settling down.

He offered her tea and she accepted, taking a steaming cup for herself and taking a sip from it. "The moon looks beautiful tonight." Tsuki stated calmly while gazing at the white orb in the sky and the stars.

Byakuya agreed and soon a deep impenetrable silence fell between them and the tension grew for Tsuki. What was she going to do now?

The silence became deeper until Byakuya broke it simply by saying, "I heard that you've been granted your retirement. What will you do now?"

"Well we've kept all of the medical notes that my mother wrote while working at the fourth division, so I think I'll try and follow that path. But I'm still an unmarried woman." Tsuki answered with loneliness and sadness in her voice. "I must get married first or my grandfather and I will end up on the streets."

"I will not allow that to happen." The captain suddenly said while clenching his fists. He calmed himself and unclenched them before turning to Tsuki and continuing, "What about the man you said you were waiting for? Has he asked you yet?"

She looked back at him, seeing the look in his eyes. The look he gave her showed that he was very keen to know about the man that she had mentioned to him just two weeks ago. And yet, Tsuki saw a little jealousy in those stone grey eyes of his. She was a little surprised at first but then she chuckled a little in her mind, knowing that Byakuya was in fact envious of himself but didn't know himself. She looked away, deep in thought. She would have to tell him sometime and now seemed like a good time to do so.

"No, he hasn't asked me. I don't know if he ever will, but I've got to tell him…" she finally answered, trailing off and returning to her deep thoughts before making her decision. "Byakuya, would you like to…know who this man is?"

For once he was shocked. Not once did he think that she was ever going to tell him. Sure she would probably invite him to her wedding, or tell him once they were engaged. He never saw this coming. Because of this he wasn't sure if he wanted to know now that she asked him. He looked up to the moon for a moment, and then gazed at the woman sitting next to him, who practically glowed with beauty and he knew what to say. He would have her tell him who this man is, and would compete with him for her love and her hand in marriage.

"I want to know who it is." Byakuya replied, determination showing on her face.

"The man I've been waiting so long for…is you Byakuya" Tsuki finally told the man that she loved for so long. "I love you. I always have and will continue to, even if you won't return my feelings."

For a second he was surprised that she had told him her hidden feelings, until he faced the garden outside and said, "I've… known for some time that you have affections for me."

"Y-You have?!" she asked with shock, blushing.

"Yes, you've told me yourself. You were drunk so I thought that you didn't mean it. Then there was that burst of energy that came from you in Hueco Mundo." Byakuya explained seriously, recalling the past times she showed her love. "I never knew you could show your feelings through your zanpaku-tô, but you did. She told me that you loved me as well; your zanpaku-tô."

"She must have been in one of her furious temper tantrums…" Tsuki stated after sighing, knowing that Ai never liked her former captain and would complain about him regularly. "She can be uncontrollable when she's like that…"

"She also told me about what your fate was going to be." Byakuya added solemnly.

"No wonder you and the others were keeping a close eye on me." Tsuki stated with a little happiness before her face fell and she became a little more serious. "Byakuya, when I…died, I saw Hisana and Kioku. They seemed to be waiting for me." – she looked over to him to see him tense up before relaxing – "I thought they was going to take me with her to the afterlife, but Hisana told me that it wasn't my time yet and said that you needed me. They both helped Tsuyoi-ai push me back…"

Silence fell once more, as the two of them came to a more sensitive based conversation. Tsuki thought that maybe she shouldn't have told him this, seeing that even though it's been a few years since her passing, he was still sensitive about it. She smiled sadly, bringing her knees up to her chest and hugging herself before mentioning something else to change the subject.

"Ever since Kioku passed on and Tsuyoi-ai left me, I've been feeling more and more lonely. Sometimes I think to myself, _'I just keep losing the people I hold dear,'_ and then I ask myself, _'Will Byakuya be next?'_" she explained with worry in her voice while hugging herself tighter. "I…I don't want to lose you…" – Byakuya looked to her and she gazed back at him with tears brimming – "If you won't return my feelings, at least promise me that you won't do anything to get yourself killed in any way…"

For a moment they gazed into each other's eyes silently, until Byakuya looked away. Then he said, "I will promise…at our wedding…"

"Okay…" Tsuki said calmly as she looked up to the moon once more. She then realized something and looked back to her friend with shock, continuing with, "Wait! What did you say?!"

"I said that I will promise," he replied gazing back at her with confidence in his eyes. "At our wedding." – he saw her cheeks go the deepest red before smirking a little – "I never said that I wouldn't return your feelings Tsuki."

"Does this mean…I thought…wait…How…?" Tsuki stuttered, still blushing as she tried so say so many things at once. "I'm confused. When…?"

"You following your heart and acting through your feelings made me see something in you that brought up feelings I had buried long ago before I married Hisana." Byakuya explained.

"You loved me before you married Hisana?" Tsuki asked with curiosity, slightly surprised to be told this. "I thought when we broke it off we were done for good."

"I was a confused teenage boy with a bad temper." He told her. "I only broke it off because I was confused about what I was feeling. Now if I recall, you never answered." – he paused and took Tsuki's hands in his, gazing into her eyes sincerely – "So will you marry me, Tsukiko Kishin?"

She was silent, gazing back into his eyes, seeing that they were not cold or lonely anymore. Instead, she saw love, and supposed that this was the way he always looked at his late wife.

"What about Hisana?" she finally asked with concern. "I don't think I'll be able to fill her space…"

"I don't want you to replace her." Byakuya stated in reply. "You have your own place in my heart…"

"But-." Tsuki said when someone from in the hallway interrupted.

"Stop beating around the bush and just say yes!" they said loudly, making the two of them jump. Tsuki and Byakuya looked over to the door to find Matsumoto, Yoruichi, Renji, Natsuki, and Orihime, standing there watching them.

"How long have you been there?" Tsuki asked with surprise while blushing.

"Since the beginning of course." Yoruichi answered.

"We couldn't pass this chance to see you two confess your love for each other!" Matsumoto added with a smile.

Renji just said that he was practically dragged out when in fact; he seemed interested in the scene unfolding before him. Natsuki was asking if Tsuki never truly loved Kioku because of what she said to Byakuya. Tsuki denied it and said that she really did love Kioku, but she needed to move on sometime.

"So are you going to say yes or what?" Yoruichi asked while crossing her arms. "You've been waiting for this moment forever, haven't you?"

Tsuki looked away, blushing, but then she faced Byakuya once more and took a deep breath. All who were watching seemed to take a breath too and finally, Tsuki said yes. She had finally told the man she loved how she felt and now they were engaged to be married! Her hopes and dreams had finally come true!

The next morning she had told those who had behaved and given the two privacy. Ichigo was a little unbelieving, but Rukia congratulated them and was truly happy for her brother. Tsuki had finally found her happy ending…


	33. Wedding Day

It was a beautiful spring day. The sun was shining and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. Their petals drifted to the ground like snow and the dotted the grass with tiny pink rough heart shapes. It was a perfect day for a wedding, except…

"Is Byakuya here yet?" Rukia asked softly with worry as Renji approached.

"No, I knocked on the door and he said that he's still busy." The read-head vice-captain replied aloud, scratching the back of his head.

"You mean to say that he's not here yet?!" Tsuki shouted, opening the door and popping her head out.

The door they were standing in front of also happened to be the room the bride-to-be was getting ready in. Half of her face was made up and her hair was done in a half updo*. Threaded in her hair were various flowers like white lilies, white roses, cherry blossoms, and Chinese bellflowers. She was currently in a white robe so as to not get her special wedding kimono dirty.

"Tsuki-chan, come back in so I can finish putting on your make-up!" Matsumoto's voice resounded from inside.

Tsuki looked back into the room before facing Renji with a pleading look in her eyes. "Could you please go back and get him before it's too late?" she asked.

She then withdrew back into the room and shut the door. Renji stood there for a moment, and Rukia had to usher him away so he could go back to the office to get the groom. Rukia then entered the room after Tsuki. When she entered, she saw that Matsumoto had already started on Tsuki's make-up again and the bride herself was fidgeting a little in her chair.

"What's wrong, Tsuki-chan?" Rukia asked with concern. "Are you nervous about your wedding? If so, there's no need to be."

"Well I am a little nervous, but I'm more worried about Byakuya." The bride to be answered, worry apparent on her face. "I think he might be a little nervous too. You know, he can be such a silly man sometimes. Not too long ago he apologized for the way he treated me in the years when I worked under him. I said that I forgave him, but he's such a silly man to think that I never did until now…"

"I've never seen that man show any emotion at all, let alone nervousness." Matsumoto commented as she made the finishing touches on Tsuki's make-up. "What makes you think that he's nervous now?"

"Don't forget that I've been with him since he proposed to me, and we even knew each other during our academy days." Tsuki stated in reply knowingly. "We've been getting to know each other better and better. I should know when he's feeling a certain emotion, whether you can see it or not."

"You sound like you're already married to him!" the vice-captain of tenth division said with surprise.

"I guess you could say that." The bride stated with a smile. "We have talked a lot over the past few years. Enough for the years we missed when we weren't friends. If he is nervous, I hope he'll come anyway…"

"I just hope that Renji can successfully bring him back in time." Rukia stated with her arms crossed.

Meanwhile in Byakuya's office, the captain paced back and forth in front of his desk restlessly. He kept asking himself, _'Why am I here when I need to be waiting for Tsuki at the end of the isle?' _but for some reason he couldn't answer.

He didn't know it, but he eventually worked it out. He was nervous about the upcoming wedding. He had been nervous since Tsuki had planned for the whole thing. He didn't show it like the jealousy he felt for Kioku, but nonetheless it was there. Ever since she planned for it, Tsuki looked forward to their wedding, and he had too. He loved her more than anything, and his love for her had grown over the years they spent getting to know each other again.

Byakuya sighed, gazing at the clock again for the hundredth time. He would be late if he stayed here any longer. Tsuki would forgive him, like she did when he apologized for how he treated her, but she would also be upset.

He couldn't bear to hurt her anymore, so he started to head to the door, just as someone knocked. It was Renji again, probably to try and bring him to the wedding again.

"Captain, you're gonna be late if you stay here any longer." He said before Byakuya opened the door and headed out right past him. "Well that was easier than I thought…" Renji muttered while scratching the back of his head as he watched his captain continue to walk away. He then followed him to the place where the wedding was being held.

"He's finally here and waiting, Tsuki-chan." Rukia informed the bride as she walked back in from checking if Renji had returned. "Are you ready?"

"Yes…" Tsuki answered, coming forward in the most beautiful layered kimono.

It was light blue and white, and the skirts weren't closed all the way, slightly revealing her legs which were covered with white tights. The skirts also had a train that was a foot and a half long and she was holding a bouquet with tons of different flowers in it. There were lilies, Chinese bellflowers, cherry blossoms, white roses, and also light blue ones.

"I did a good job, didn't I?" Matsumoto asked from beside her with a smile.

"She looks just like a doll!" Rukia exclaimed. "So beautiful!"

"Thank you." Tsuki said with a smile as she blushed. "I'm ready now…" And so the three of them walked out, and Tsuki took her first steps into her new life…

* * *

***A half updo is pretty much half of your hair up in a sort of ponytail. That's what Tsuki's hair style is.**

**That's the last chapter everyone! To be honest, I was really going to end it at the previous chapter when I first wrote this, but decided to tie it off with Tsuki's and Byakuya's wedding day. I just thought it would be more special. **

**Anyway, enough ranting. Thanks to all of you for reading, and thank you to those of you who reviewed, faved, and alerted. It made me happy to read all of your reviews and I hope you keep on reviewing and faving. Please review and tell me how you felt about the ending, or the story as a whole.**

**Also, thanks to Tite-sensei for making such a great manga series and all the great characters. After all, this all belongs to Tite-sensei (except for Tsuki, Kioku, and Snakehead). Once again, thanks for reading and I hope you look forward to other fanfics that I put on fanfiction in the years to come! Thank you! ;)**

**Lastly, I have decided that I'm not going to delete the original, mainly because I have wonderful reviews and things from that so I'm going to just leave it there.**


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